Three wars ravaged Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 20th century; each destroyed invaluable cultural and historical treasures. What remains is threatened by neglect, vandalism, natural disasters, and the ravages of time.
These threats are real. The National Museum has closed; other museums, libraries, and cultural institutions are teetering on the brink, starved of funding with little or no prospect of keeping them operational. Old materials deteriorate under poor conditions. The threats of natural catastrophes and mob violence simply make matters worse.
In 2014 alone, these threats struck twice. In February, rioters set fire to centuries-old documents in the State Presidency archives. In May, unprecedented flooding and landslides damaged or destroyed old documents and official records throughout the country. And the dangers are only growing.
To combat these threats, the Foundation for the Preservation of Historical Heritage (FPHH) began digitizing rare holdings of the National Library in January 2014. In August 2014 it expanded its program to include the Historical Museum, along with Oslobodjenje, the country’s oldest continuously published daily newspaper. But these represent only the tip of the iceberg.
Up until now the Foundation has relied on volunteer efforts, donations of equipment, time, know-how and materials. But this is no longer sufficient.
Bosnia and Herzegovina needs your help to preserve its priceless heritage, which is an important part of the world’s cultural treasury. We must include other cultural institutions and rare document collections before they too are lost. In order to do this, your financial support is now critical.
FPHH has set an initial goal of $48,500.
These funds would enable FPHH to:
Purchase additional high-tech, customized, digitization equipment and software and ensure and enhance the security of data and equipment.
For everyone interested in contributing to these goals, the money can be transferred by clicking on the following link: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-bosnia-s-heritage
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