International Conference: 30 Years of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the United Nations Held at the UNSA Faculty of Political Science - Bosnia and Herzegovina: Political Situation and Development Perspectives

On the occasion of thirty years of state independence and admission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations (22 May 1992), the International Scientific Conference Bosnia and Herzegovina: Political Situation and Development Perspectives was held at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Sarajevo on Friday, 20 May 2022. The conference was organized in order to conduct a scientific and professional discussion on these important events in the recent history of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the participation of eminent domestic and foreign scientists, and a number of prominent political participants of the time.

The conference was opened with introductory speeches by Prof. Dr. Sead Turčalo, Faculty of Political Science Dean, and Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, University of Sarajevo Rector.

In a statement for the media, Rector Škrijelj pointed out that we are currently in a position that allows Bosnia and Herzegovina and its citizens to be optimistic, because, as he stated, unlike in the 1990s when the world recognized and slightly supported us, it seems that today we have many greater support from Western Europe and the world.

Dean Turčalo pointed out that it is obvious that de jure statehood has been preserved in the past three decades, but that the element of de facto statehood, i.e. the rule of law, security, welfare of citizens, is something that still needs to be worked on.

The conference consisted of three panels:

• Past: Political and historical development of BiH
• Present: The state and challenges of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• The future: Prospects for the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Participants in historical events and researchers talked about the political and historical development of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and valorised these events. Prominent domestic and regional political scientists, historians and sociologists gave their views on the current state and challenges of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The last panel of the conference deals with Bosnia and Herzegovina in a new international context, which was discussed, among others, by the Permanent Representative of BiH to the UN, Dr. Sven Alkalaj, and relevant academic researchers in the field of law, economics, demography and international relations discussed the future development of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The aim of the conference was to evaluate the international and national significance of three decades of international recognition of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the lives of its citizens and peoples, to valorize the reflection of that event on Bosnia and Herzegovina's neighbourhood, and to summarize the political and social achievements. The ambition of the Conference organizers is to analyse and evaluate the totality of BiH political, social, economic and interethnic relations in the past thirty years with an emphasis on opening perspectives of possible solutions or outlining scientifically predictable trends in certain areas of political and social life.

You will have the opportunity to read more about everything in the collection of papers that the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Sarajevo will prepare and make available online for free until 25 November 2022.