Sarajevo siege photo exhibition opens at History Museum

Italian photojournalist Mario Boccia has opened a photo exhibition titled “Sarajevo 1992–1996 – The Longest Siege” at the History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The collection features approximately 50 black-and-white images captured during his time as a correspondent for the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto.

Boccia stated that his work intentionally focused on the resilience of civilians and everyday life rather than soldiers. The exhibition highlights the struggle for survival and the preservation of dignity amidst the 1,425-day siege, during which an estimated 11,541 lives were lost.

During the opening, a notable moment occurred when a woman featured in Boccia’s wartime photographs attended the event, meeting the photographer for the first time in over three decades. Sarajevo Mayor Samir Avdic attended the opening, expressing gratitude for the contribution to preserving the city's history. The exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Italian War History Museum in Rovereto and Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa and will run through the end of November.