Commemorations of Alija Izetbegović

On the 23rd anniversary of the death of Alija Izetbegović, the first President of the Presidency of independent Bosnia and Herzegovina, various cultural and political commemorations were held.

In Sarajevo, delegations gathered at the Kovači Martyrs' Cemetery to lay flowers. A formal academy was also organized at the National Theatre in Sarajevo to honor his life and political legacy. The anniversary featured the premiere of the documentary ‘Alija – San o zemlji na razmeđu svjetova’ (Alija – Dream of a Land Between Worlds) at the Sarajevo Memorial Center. Directed by Ahmed Imamović and authored by Nermin Hodžić, the film seeks to explore Izetbegović’s character, political values, and vision for the country beyond a mere chronological account of the years 1990 to 1996.

While supporters remember the lawyer and founder of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) as a symbol of the struggle for independence and state integrity, the anniversary also highlighted regional tensions. In East Sarajevo, billboards appeared featuring Izetbegović’s image alongside messages accusing him of war crimes against the Serbian people. The Sarajevo Memorial Center and the SDA Youth Association condemned these displays as “attempts at historical revisionism and political provocation intended to increase national tensions.”