Marking Europe Day in BiH – Schedule of events

The Delegation of the European Union and the EU Info Centre are marking Europe Day, 9 May, with numerous information, cultural and music events to be held across the country. The Europe Day celebratio...

The Delegation of the European Union and the EU Info Centre are marking Europe Day, 9 May, with numerous information, cultural and music events to be held across the country.

The Europe Day celebration begins on 8 May with the exhibition ”Tolerance” to be opened by the Head of the EU Delegation to BiH and EU Special Representative, Lars-Gunnar Wigemark. On this occasion, the well-known illustrator and comic author of BiH origin Mirko Ilić will present 24 posters by famous illustrators from around the world.

Following the exhibition, Mirko Ilić will host a multimedia presentation titled “Symbols of Hate” focusing on anti-tolerance expressed through neo-fascist iconography in public spaces across the region.

The reception and concert of the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra to mark Europe Day will be held at the National Theatre in Sarajevo on 9 May.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Erasmus+ programme, a European Union exchange programme in the area of education, a discussion on the achievements and the importance of the programme will take place between students of the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo, beneficiaries of the Erasmus+ programme and H.E. Nikola Minasi, the Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the new library of the Faculty of Political Sciences on 10 May.

On the same day, at the EU Info Centre, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark and Ambassador of the Republic of Greece Georgios Iliopoulos will open a photo exhibition entitled “Travelling through Europe” by the renowned Greek photographer, Dionysia Alexiadi.

On 11 May, a concert featuring the band Zoster will take place in front of the BBI centre in Sarajevo, while on 12 May in Krajina Square in Banja Luka, the band Elemental will entertain visitors. The band Pips, Chips & Video Clips will play at OKC Abrašević in Mostar on 16 May.

On 12 May in Banja Luka’s Staklenac pavilion, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in a Literary Afternoon with prominent BiH writers and winners of the European Prize for Literature, Tanja Stupar-Trifunović and Faruk Šehić.

Ambassador Wigemark will attend the Literary Afternoon in Banja Luka while on 16 May, at the Pavarotti Music Centre in Mostar, the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to BiH, Khaldoun Sinno, will attend a Musical Afternoon with the Mostar Rock School and the “Superar Srebrenica” Children’s Choir, followed by a discussion on the role of music in building bridges between people.

In cooperation with the Cultural Association Dante Alighieri and the Embassy of the Republic of Italy, an exhibition dedicated to the work of the prominent BiH writer Predrag Matvejević will take place on 18 May at the EU Info Centre.

Within the “European Film Days” event, each evening from 22 to 31 May at the Meeting Point Cinema, cinema lovers will have the opportunity to enjoy screenings of selected European films.

On 23 May, in cooperation with the Directorate for European Integration, the EU Info Centre will host a briefing for media representatives on the topic of “Media reporting on the financial assistance of the European Union in BiH”.

In addition, EU Member State embassies, their cultural centres and the European Union Force (EUFOR) in BiH are participating in the celebration of Europe Day with a number of events, including:

  • Roundtable on regional cooperation in the field of art, organised by the Luciano Benetton Foundation with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Italy, on 9 May in Sarajevo’s BKC; and,
  • First Austrian Ball in Sarajevo which will be held on 20 May at the City Hall, organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Austria, the City of Sarajevo and the City of Vienna.

All media are invited to attend the events according to the attached programme. A detailed schedule of the events can be found below.

For additional information, please contact: Zora Stanić, Press and Information Officer and Spokesperson of the EU Delegation / EUSR, phone 061-103-076

Notes for media:

  • Europe Day, held on 9 May every year, celebrates peace and unity in Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the historical ‘Schuman Declaration’. At a speech in Paris in 1950, Robert Schuman, the then French foreign minister, set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe, which would make war between Europe’s nations unthinkable. His vision was to create a European institution that would pool and manage coal and steel production. A treaty creating such a body was signed just under a year later. Schuman’s proposal is considered to be the beginning of what is now the European Union.
  • In 2017, the European Union celebrates important anniversaries; 60 years since the signing of the Treaty of Rome that laid the foundations of today’s united Europe and 30 years of the Erasmus programme for education.

Logistic details for media:

NB: Information about the respective events will be sent to media at a later stage

Date Location Time Event Type
8.5.2017 Academy of Fine Arts Sarajevo 12:00 Opening of the exhibition “Tolerance”, 24 posters of renowned designers from around the world Open for public
8.5.2017 EU Info Centre – Sarajevo 14:00 Multimedia lecture by graphic designer and illustrator Mirko Ilić Open for public with RSVP at event@euic.ba
9.5.2017 AFBiH Hall (plateau) 11:00 “Sustainable Stability” – EUFOR and BiH Armed Forces military parade Invitations only
9.5.2017 BKC Sarajevo 12:00 Roundtable on regional cooperation in the field of art, organised by the Luciano Benetton Foundation Invitations only
9.5.2017 National Theatre Sarajevo 19:00 Reception and concert of the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra Invitations only
10.5.2017 Library at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Sarajevo 14:00 Erasmus + event marking the 30th anniversary of ERASMUS bringing together students of the Faculty of Political Sciences and the Italian Ambassador, H.E. Nicola Minasi Open for public
10.5.2017 EU Info Centre – Sarajevo 17:30 Opening of the exhibition “Travelling through Europe” by a Greek photographer, Dionysia Alexiadi Open for public with RSVP at event@euic.ba
11.5.2017 BBI-a centre plateau 20:00 Rock concert by the band Zoster Open for public
12.5.2017 Krajina Square – Banja Luka 20:30 Rock concert by the band Elemental Open for public
12.5.2017 Staklenac in Petar Kočić park, Banja Luka  18:00 Literary afternoon with the BiH  winners of the EU Prize for Literature, Tanja Stupar-Trifunović and Faruk Šehić Open for public with RSVP at banjaluka@euinfo.ba
16.5.2017 Pavarotti Music Centre, Mostar 18:00 Music performance by Mostar Rock School and the Superar Srebrenica Children Choir Open for public with RSVP at mostar@euinfo.ba
16.5.2017 OKC Abrašević – Mostar 20:30 Rock concert by the band Pips, Chips and Video Clips Open for public
17.5.2017 EU Info Centre – Sarajevo 18:00 Lecture by Anis Nacrour on the topic „What’s happening with the Arab Spring?“ Open for public with RSVP at event@euic.ba
18.5.2017 EU Info Centre – Sarajevo 17:30 Opening of the exhibition dedicated to the writer Predrag Matvejević Open for public with RSVP at event@euic.ba
20.5.2017 City Hall, Sarajevo 20:30 First Austrian Ball in Sarajevo Invitations only
22.-31. May  2017 Cinema Meeting Point- Sarajevo 20:00 European Film Days Open for public
23.5.2017 EU Info Centre– Sarajevo 11:00 Journalist briefing “Media reporting on the EU financial assistance in BiH” Open for public with RSVP at info@euic.ba