Hurry up if you
think to come to Sarajevo and get to know about its history by visiting
museums. Situation of Bosnian cultural institutions is really dramatic. They
survived the war, but right now they are in real danger.
Signing the Dayton peace accord in 1995 ended
the war and in the same time set up two separate entities: Bosniak-Croat
Federation and Bosnian Serb Republic. Bosnia and Herzegovina is the most
divided country of ex-Yugoslavia. Politic system is really hard to understand;
each entity has its own president, government, parliament, police and other
bodies. Frankly speaking, it’s really hard to build the country where opinions
are so divided and somehow nationalism takes the first voice.
In annex 8 of
Dayton peace accord we read: A Commission to Preserve National Monuments is
established. The Commission is authorized
to receive and act upon petitions to designate as National Monuments movable or
immovable property of great importance to a group of people with common
cultural, historic, religious or ethnic heritage. When property is designated
as a National Monument, the Entities will make every effort to take appropriate
legal, technical, financial and other measures to protect and conserve the
National Monument and refrain from taking deliberate actions which might damage
it.
So, here we are… financial sources
are empty, opening hours are squeezed and it’s more and more difficult to keep alive cultural institutions.
Last year, the National Museum was closed.
 |
| stidite se = be ashamed ! |
This news was shocking, thousands of
people appeared on the streets to protest. Unfortunately it didn’t bring any
positive thing. More? There is a new list, with new museums, galleries and libraries
to be closed… I ask myself, how is it possible not to take care of the cultural
heritage?
The World has replayed, and
the Day of Museum Solidarity was created. Museums all over the world are putting yellow tape across key exhibits, exactly
the same like in Sarajevo. Is it enough to keep attention of the visiting
public ? You can read more about it on http://www.cultureshutdown.net/public-call-day-of-museum-solidarity/
Artists in Sarajevo have
replayed too. Lately walking in the city, I noticed a piece of art on the wall
of the Historical Museum (which is also on the list to become closed). The performance
is called Rukavice what means gloves. They all are given by Sarajevian
people. As we can read in the inscription, this is a way to keep attention of
the actual problems of culture institutions, to think how to find a solution
and let others to get to know about it…
