Wolfgang Amadeus Brulhart received the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo during the celebration of Human Rights Day. He received the award in recognition of his outstanding contributions and support to Obala Art Centre, as well as the initiative for the development of Meeting Point as a cultural center, which is now recognized as a meeting place and an official cinema of the Sarajevo Film Festival.
While performing the function of the Deputy Ambassador and the Counselor for culture at the Embassy of Switzerland in Sarajevo, in the period from 1996 to 1998, Brulhart was the initiator of the reconstruction of the cultural scene in Sarajevo. Switzerland has donated almost 100 million CHF during this period, for the reconstruction and development of BiH. About 2 million were allocated for culture, in order to support the reconstruction of BiH cultural institutions, for promotion of cultural exchange in BiH and the former Yugoslavia, and promotion of cultural exchange between BiH and Switzerland.
Recognizing the value and power of cultural renewal of spirit in the treatment of war-wounded city, Brülhart has initiated numerous cultural events, exchanges and meetings of artists of BiH and Switzerland, concerts and performances and was the initiator of starting the Meeting Point, as the former cultural center and meeting place of artists in Sarajevo, which is today one of the main sites and the official cinema of the Sarajevo Film Festival.
Also, under his initiative, the former Meeting Point received the first financial support for its launch.
After the mission in Sarajevo, Brulhart moved to the office of the Embassy of Switzerland in London (1999-2002), where he worked as the cultural adviser at the position of the Head of the Center for Culture, with special emphasis on project ‘Cultural Programme 2000: Creative Switzerland 2000: Dialogue Between Cultures’.
He worked as the Head of the Department for human rights policy and the “Human Rights Council” in the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in Berne, in the period from 2003 to 2007, after which he was appointed as the Ambassador of Switzerland in the United Arab Emirates. From 2012 until today he is performing the function of Assistant Secretary and Director General of the Department for the Middle East and North Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland in Berne.
(Source: klix.ba)