National Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina seeks return to Vijećnica

The National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina (NUBBiH) is organizing a press conference to mark the 34th anniversary of the burning of the Vijećnica, its former headquarters. The event coincides with the conclusion of a public initiative to return the library to its historic seat in the Vijećnica building in Sarajevo.

A petition, authored by academic Esad Duraković and supported by figures such as writer Semezdin Mehmedinović, has gathered nearly 1,200 signatures from 21 different countries. The signatories include academics, artists, professors, and researchers from 38 locations across Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad.

The petition will be submitted to several institutions, including the Sarajevo City Administration, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, the Attorney's Office of BiH, and the Office of the High Representative (OHR). Beyond the physical relocation, organizers state the initiative addresses the state's relationship with its cultural, scientific, and educational institutions and the protection of its cultural-historical heritage.