The U.S. Mission Bosnia and Herzegovina, including USAID, congratulates B&H governing institutions in taking steps to reopen the National Museum and urges a quick resolution to the remaining obstacles to opening B&H’s leading cultural institution. The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina are rightfully proud of their rich history and culture – a history and culture that deserves to be shared with the citizens of this country and rest of the world.
This year Sarajevo will mark the re-opening of the Vijecnica, the centennial of the First World War, world exhibitions, and the Sarajevo Film Festival. We encourage government action to re-open the National Museum prior to these events and never to close it again.
“This situation is not acceptable in a free society,” said USAID Mission Director David Barth. “It is the duty of a representative government to protect their cultural institutions. Nobody has a right to keep it closed and deny people their heritage.” “USAID,” Barth added, “is committed to supporting the National Museum.”
The citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the world, deserve the opportunity once again to enjoy the Museum’s treasures, such as the Sarajevo Haggadah, an illuminated 14th-century Jewish manuscript which has been valued at $700 million, a 250,000-volume library, an extensive display of folk costumes, its renowned entomological collection, and unique Neolithic ceramics from the internationally famous excavations at Butmir.
