�Mostar � World Cultural Heritage� Round-table Held

Mladi.info

27 July 2005

The inclusion of the Old Bridge in Mostar and the Old City on UNESCO�s list of world cultural heritage is a huge achievement for Bosnia and Herzegovina and introduces a brighter future for B&H cultural heritage, concluded the round-table discussion �Mostar � Global Cultural Heritage: Perspectives for the Coming 10 Years�.

The Mostar Bridge entered UNESCO's cultural heritage list

Zeljana Zovko, the B&H Ambassador to UNESCO said that Bosnia and Herzegovina has no other object on the UNESCO list, but that nominations of other B&H areas, such as Vjetrenica Cave and the Menhirs near Mostar, are expected in near future.

Amra Hadzimuhamedovic from the National Commission for Conservation of Cultural Monuments, mentioned several other likely candidates: Blidinje, the Bridge at Visegrad, the towns of Pocitelj and Blagaj, and added that the Commission intensified its activities on the set UNESCO criteria.

"We have to establish a national fund for permanent protection and conservation, adopt the appropriate legislation and unify the executive procedures", emphasized Hadzimuhamedovic.

Zovko and Ljubo Beslic, the Mayor of Mostar, agreed that Mostar�s entry onto the world cultural heritage list was, primarily, the project of the City of Mostar, which should bring prosperity to the city and the state. Beslic also mentioned the need to create a good economic environment and educate the citizens about the culture of living, in order to keep Mostar on the UNESCO list in the coming decade.

Ambassador Zovko thanked the media for their positive reporting on B&H, presenting the country in better light as capable of creating a better future for all. The media reporting was an important step towards the entry of Mostar on the cultural heritage list.

Mayor Beslic thanked all people and institutions that lobbied for Mostar and this project, the Presidency of B&H, Government ministries, the National Commission of Conservation of cultural monuments, political parties and citizens of Mostar.