Book “Foča središte Hercegovačkog sandžaka” by Dr. Muamer Hodžić Promoted

In Foča on Saturday, 4 August 2019, in the cozy atmosphere within the harem of the newly reconstructed Aladža mosque, the first promotion of the book “Foča središte Hercegovačkog sandžaka (Foča as the center of the Herzegovina Sanjak) by Dr. Muamer Hodžić took place.
The book was presented by Drs. Kemal Bašić  and Sead Bešlija, UNSA Institute of History, acting director.
In his presentation, Dr. Bašić introduced the attendees with technical details and content of the book, saying that this monograph on Foča was particularly emphasized in composition and structure, which is different from previous works on Foča during the Ottoman period. He explained the value of the book through the prism of its whole in the historical synthesis of the total urban development of Foča from 1470 to 1576, until which time it was the seat of the Herzegovina’s Sanjakbey.
In the continuation of his presentation, Dr. Bašić referred to the history and establishment of the name Foča as well as its geographical position as an important factor in the development of the city. He emphasized the fact that the boundaries of the Foča’s urban city center had been defined in the 16th century remained significantly unchanged even today, yet the urban panorama was significantly altered by the destruction of many sacral and mundane objects from that very period. Pointing to the civilizational achievements of the Foča society from that period, he pointed to the phenomenon of scriptorium, which was active in the city at that time. In closing his presentation, Dr. Bašić singled out the testimonies of foreign travelers as an important historical fact about Foča of that period, writing their own impressions of the town and its inhabitants, and that there are written traces of this fact today.  He invited the inhabitants of Foča, whether they were natives or settlers, as well as all Foča inhabitants wherever they are, to read the book in order to get to know the history of the city and build a sense of respect for it.
Dr. Bešlija analyzed the book from three aspects. First, he brought to the audience all the competencies, expertise and research effort needed to write a historical monograph of the city during the Ottoman era, as was the case with Dr. Hodžić. He then spoke about the position of the book in Bosnian historiography and Ottoman studies, with the emphasis on a book that can already be placed in a series of very successful and scientifically based historical monographs on the past of Bosnian urban areas.
Dr. Bešlija included the author in the galaxy of researchers who devoted part of his scientific work to the past of Foča, in its golden age. He emphasized the fluent and uncomplicated writing style of Dr. Hodžić that will provide equal access to the book to all readers, regardless of their level of education. Finally, Dr. Bešlija touched upon the civilizational value of the book and the lessons it carries for present and future generations, pointing out that it is a witness and a trace of the time she is talking about, but also of the one in which it was made. He invited the inhabitants of Foča, whether they were natives or settlers, as well as all Foča wherever they were, to read a book on Foča in order to get to know the history of the city and build a sense of respect for it.
At the end of the promotion, the audience was addressed by the author Dr. Muamer Hodžić, a research associate at the UNSA Oriental Studies Institute, who thanked for organizing the book promotion and shared his experiences and interesting lines about the process of writing this work, which is the result of nine years of dedicated work and scientific research.
In addition to Dr. Adnan Kadrić, director of the UNSA Oriental Studies Institute and Goražde Mufti Remzija Pitić, one of the organizers of the promotion and sponsor of the book's printing, personalities from the public and cultural life of Foča and the BPK, including BPK Prime Minister Aida Obuća, and Foča Municipal Council President Izet Spahić were present. The promotion was moderated by Emina Šarić-Krajišnik.