BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ( URI-GLOBAL COUNCIL AND GLOBAL STAFF MEETING-2017 AT BOSNIA AND SARAJEVO

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Bosnia and Herzegovina, country situated in the western Balkan Peninsula of Europe. The larger region of Bosnia occupies the northern and central parts of the country, and Herzegovina occupies the south and southwest. These historical regions do not correspond with the two autonomous political entities that were established by the internationally brokered Dayton Accords of 1995: the Republika Srpska (Bosnian Serb Republic), located in the north and east, and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, occupying the western and central areas. The capital of the country is Sarajevo; important regional cities include Mostar and Banja Luka.

The land has often felt the influences of stronger regional powers that have vied for control over it, and these influences have helped to create Bosnia and Herzegovina’s characteristically rich ethnic and religious mix. Islam, Orthodox Christianity, and Roman Catholicism are all present, with the three faiths generally corresponding to three major ethnic groups: Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats, respectively. This multiethnic population, as well as the country’s historical and geographic position between Serbia and Croatia, has long made Bosnia and Herzegovina vulnerable to nationalist territorial aspirations.

The capital city Sarajevo is a leading cultural centre in the Balkans, boasting a long and rich history of religious and cultural diversity. Adherents of Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Judaism have coexisted in the city for centuries, earning Sarajevo the nickname “Jerusalem of Europe”.40 percent Muslim, 31 percent Orthodox, and 15 percent Roman Catholic.The landscape of Bosnia and Herzegovina is embellished with mountainous terrain, medieval villages, and Muslim and Christian architecture. Once a major city, Sarajevo was the first city in Europe to build an electric tram network in 1885, and was also host to the 1984 Winter Olympics.The URI Global Council team visited Bosnia and Herzegovina  and Mostar on 9th  to 15^th September,2017. Prof. John Kurakar, Dr. Abraham Karickam, Biswadeve Chakravorthy and  Subhi Dhupar of the Indian team included.

Prof. John Kurakar