Celebrating of the 25th Anniversary of Inter-University and Other Cooperation of the Cities of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative and the UNIADRION University Association
On 27 June 2025, in Ancona, the celebration of the 25th anniversary of inter-university and other cooperation among the cities of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative was held. A key moment for this initiative was the signing of the Declaration in Ancona — a moment considered crucial for strategic territorial cooperation in the region. The chairwoman of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative forum, Mrs. Marta Paraventi, emphasized that this initiative originated from cities that, in 1999, recognized cooperation among cities as key to lasting peace and joint development. It was highlighted that at the heart of this cooperation is culture as a driver of integration and a bridge among people. This was best exemplified by the pioneering works of Ciriaco Ancona, a humanist considered the “father of archaeology,” who in the 15th century traveled along the Adriatic coast, documenting and promoting the shared heritage of the Mediterranean.
A special role is played by inter-university cooperation, which takes place through the university association of the cities of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative called UNIADRION. The University of Sarajevo has been present from the beginning and has been represented through various forms of cooperation. During 2014-2015, when Bosnia and Herzegovina presided over the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, the University of Sarajevo was chosen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to represent Bosnian universities, and in the next three-year period, it will again assume the role of the national representative. According to Article 8 of the Statute of UNIADRION, which stipulates that in addition to the President, former President, future President, and the General Secretary of the Association, one representative from each country is to be included in the Management Board, Prof. Dr. Kemal Durić, on behalf of the Rector’s Conference/Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was elected as the national representative in the Management Board of this association for the period 2025–2028.
