In April 2015, Foundation Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB) celebrates 20 years of existence and work in the field of protection, preservation and promotion of cultural heritage. Since its establishment, CHwB has worked in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it has implemented more than 40 projects aimed at raising awareness about the importance of protection, preservation and promotion of common heritage.
Originally established in Sweden by cultural heritage experts in order to provide assistance in the restoration of war-torn heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina, CHwB today works in more than 10 countries across the globe. CHwB is dedicated to rescuing and preserving tangible and intangible heritage affected by war and decay, caused by human or natural factors.
“Protection and preservation of cultural heritage is of enormous importance for the development of any society. Since the founding, CHwB has worked with cultural heritage as an active force in reconciliation, peace building, social and economic development in countries around the world,”said Ing-Marie Munktell, the chairperson of CHwB.
In the last 20 years, CHwB in Bosnia and Herzegovina has partially or fully restored cultural heritage monuments of enormous value and universal importance in the area of Jajce, Maglaj, Banja Luka, Mostar, Sarajevo, Stolac, Prusac, Zavala and Ozren. Additionally, CHwB in cooperation with its partners has implemented different activities in Zenica, Tešanj, Prijedor, Doboj, Sanski Most and other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
„Cultural heritage is a nonrenewable resource everywhere around us: in stories, languages, songs, bricks, stones, at historical sites, neighborhoods. Our duty is to preserve and transfer it to our children. Responsibility that we all have to take as of today,“ said Lejla Hadžić, regional coordinator of CHwB.
Through projects in the Western Balkans and across the globe, CHwB advocates equal rights of all people in their participation in and enjoyment of culture and cultural heritage. CHwB also works in raising awareness about the importance of common heritage, its preservation and protection as an inseparable part of identity of any society.
CHwB offices are located in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Sweden. With the aim to improve the work in the area of the Western Balkans, offices in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo will continue to work as local foundations from 2015.