Universal and rich cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina was an inspiration for a new exhibition that opened on Friday, 29th of May 2015 in the premises of the Bosniak Institute – Foundation Adil Zulfikarpasic. The exhibition was prepared by the Foundation Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB) and the Bosniak institute – Foundation Adil Zulfikarpasic, and will be displayed until 5th of June.
This exhibition celebrates the results of a 12 months long project titled “Make It Yours!“. It is designed as a tram ride through tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Every station of the ride represents an aspect of the heritage and “Make it Yours!” project.
“The cultural heritage of BiH is very rich and made of different influence, thus it would not be appropriate to represent it chronologically. The symbol of the tram is not just a symbol of Sarajevo, but a time machine through cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina and it links ‘stations’ as various aspects of tangible and intangible heritage. Personal choice of the first and the last station of this exhibition will hopefully encourage all visitors to explore common cultural heritage of all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” stated Ana Đikoli, one of the curators of the exhibition.
Visitors of the exhibition have the opportunity to symbolically travel to the first carpet factory and Sarajevo City Hall learning more about traditional craftworks, music, food and clothing through displayed exhibits that are made by the high school student during a series of workshops organized within the project “Make it Yours!”. As part of the exhibition, a video projection, a work of artists Mensur Demir and Maja Zeco, is screened representing the common cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The “Make it Yours!” project is funded by the European Union and is part of the ‘Sarajevo 2014’ programme. This programme incorporates a series of projects implemented in and around the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, in order for Sarajevo to send messages of peace, reconciliation and solidarity to the world.
“We are pleased to say that around 700 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from more than 30 towns across the country engaged with promotion and protection of cultural heritage in some way. Through this process, we have made great partners, individuals and institutions that are dedicated to safeguarding of our fragile heritage, and that will join us in the future preservation of BH heritage,” noted Arijana Mandić, coordinator of the “Make It Yours!” project.
Numerous activities that were organised within this project by CHwB with its partners are four round-tables, nine creative workshops for the high school students, six media-educational events on the Isa-bey Hamam, the production of video, development of educational tool-kit for teachers and students as well as development of web platform on cultural heritage and organisation of a unique bike tour “Tour de Culture Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
All activities that have been organized within “Make It Yours!” project aimed at raising awareness among citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the importance of cultural heritage as a common wealth, as well as providing a space for open dialogue on heritage, culture and identity.