Embassy news
Remembrance Service 2009 (8/11/2009)
The Service was taken by the Reverend Robin Fox, and a bugler from the UK's Defence School of Music played the Last Post. The Service was followed by the traditional curry lunch in the British contingent's Bulldog Bar. Special thanks go to Lt Col Nigel Parker and Maj Mark Lindsay-Smith for organising everything, and a total of nearly £300 was raised for the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.
Embassy team visits NGO “Sumero” (22/10/2009)
As part of the Embassy’s diversity related activities, the staff visited premises of the NGO “Sumero” to learn more about issues vulnerable groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina are facing. “Sumero” is an independent, voluntary, non-governmental organisation. This NGO represents a union of organisations supporting persons with intellectual disabilities in FBiH.
The Union “Sumero” works to strengthen and encourage networking between the associations and promote the rights of its beneficiaries - people with intellectual disability. It aims to improve the legislature framework through lobbying, public awareness campaigns, coordination of its members, training and volunteering activities. Its main purpose is to promote equal rights for all citizens of BiH in line with UN Conventions on Human Rights.
British Embassy to support Sarajevo Talent Campus (15/10/2009)
British Embassy Sarajevo and Sarajevo Film Festival signed a contract on financial support of Sarajevo Talent Campus.
Sarajevo Talent Campus is an educational programme launched in 2007 by the Sarajevo Film Festival and in cooperation with Berlin International Film Festival and Berlinale Talent Campus. It seeks to allow young film talents the access further education, an entry to the network of European and international film industry, and an incentive to create their first joint projects with colleagues from the South Eastern Europe.
The programme of Sarajevo Talent Campus is open to young film directors, actors, producers and scriptwriters from thirteen countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey.
This programme provides an opportunity for the young artists from South-Eastern Europe to exchange views and ideas among themselves and film professionals from different parts of the world.
Secondary school volunteers working alongside Embassy staff (9/10/2009)
The Embassy hosted four students. Bojana Popadic from Catholic School Centre Banja Luka and Ena Mesihovic, Minel Abaz and Amina Zgalj from Gymnasium Dobrinja worked alongside the Embassy staff during a day. They updated the Embassy website, reviewed a project proposal and a press release, and discussed political issues with colleagues from the Political/Projects/Press team, visited EUFOR LOT house with the Ministry of Defence staff, supervised visa issuing with our Visa team and actively promoted British exports to BiH together with the UK Trade and Investment staff.
VolontEurope Conference in Sarajevo (8/10/2009)
The conference brings together volunteer experts, managers, trainers, academics, researchers, and policy makers from over 20 European countries to discuss volunteerism with an aim to increase the understanding of the principles of volunteerism and to promote citizen participation in their communities.
In his opening speech, Ambassador Tatham said: “I am very pleased that British representatives from civil society are contributing so fully to this event. The British Government is in no doubt about the value of voluntary action and the vital role that citizen involvement can play in improving services to those in need, in complementing and monitoring the work of government and in developing a stronger civic society.
The emergence of a powerful and effective civil society is one of the hardest challenges for those countries going through the process of post-communist democratic transition. Broadly speaking, the Communist Governments of Central and Eastern Europe sought to disempower the public and saw civil society as a threat rather than as an opportunity.
At the same time, the challenges of political and economic transition (compounded in Bosnia’s case by conflict legacy challenges) have created a huge space and demand for the kind of role that civil society organisations can play.”
Ambassador Tatham’s speech and photos from the reception available at the Embassy website.
Embassy hosted a reception for the UK participants of the Bosnian British Muslim Christian Conference (5/10/2009)
British Embassy Sarajevo hosted a reception for the UK participants of the Bosnian British Muslim Christian Conference that is taking place in Sarajevo and Tuzla from 5-10 October 2009.
This conference is a meeting of representatives of both faiths from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Kingdom and it is organized by SANA, a small British Bosnia Christian Muslim agency which has been working in north east Bosnia since 1994.
Mr Paul Johns of SANA says: “The main purpose of the conference is to explore, on the basis of experience, how faith communities can help, in practical ways and in both countries, to sustain civil society and promote social cohesion. Those who are taking part believe that people of both faiths and both countries have much to learn from each other. We intend that this conference and our report of it will offer encouragement and practical help to leaders of local faith communities in both countries.”
“European Way – Safe Way” - Promotion of the EU Info Centres in Bosnia and Herzegovina (25/09/2009)
On 25 September at the square in front of the Sarajevo Cathedral, Ambassador Tatham took part in promoting EU Info Centres in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This event is part of a project supported by the British Embassies Sarajevo, the Delegation of the European Commission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Embassy of the Republic of Hungary in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Throughout the day, the EU Info Centres staff members were distributing to the citizens of Sarajevo different promotional materials on European Union, its institutions and programmes, as well as the European integration process of BiH. As part of this event, a quiz „How much do you know about the European Union” was organised for the citizens, while the youngest participants were offered a possibility to draw and write messages about the European Union.
The EU Info Centres are open in Banjaluka, Brcko, Mostar, Sarajevo and Tuzla and there aim is to serve as a first contact point between the citizens of BiH and citizens and institutions of the European Union, and encourage the general public for active engagement in the EU integration process of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They were opened in cooperation with the non-governmental organisation “Kyodo” and universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ambassador Tatham said: “I think that the European Union is the right goal for Bosnia and Herzegovina because it offers a framework for stability, security and prosperity. The process of joining the European Union should not only be a political process, therefore it requires the support of general public. The EU Info Centres work on raising awareness of BiH citizens about the importance of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession into the European Union and we very much welcome their work.”
JCB produced the 750,000 construction machine (24/09/2009)
On 24 September Ambassador Tatham together with Mr Tarik Kamenjasevic Manager of Terra d.o.o. BiH, a company for distribution and servicing of the JCB construction machinery for the BiH market, hosted an event to mark production of 750,000th JCB machine. The event took place at the Embassy Residence where all top managers from the construction industry and representatives of government and governmental agencies were present.
At this event Ambassador Tatham stressed that JCB is one of the top UK brands which you can find in every corner of the world. JCB employs 7,000 people and their machines are sold in 150 countries through about 100 local dealers.
Mr Tarik Kamenjasevic, Manager of Terra d.o.o. BiH, said that in 2008 Terra d.o.o.BiH participated in 35% of the share market of the new construction machinery. In 2009 this market share increased to 45% for the overall, and for the backhaul loader it increased to 51%, which means that every second backhaul loader sold in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a JCB one.
Embassy iftar (17/9/2009)
Every year the Embassy in Sarajevo hosts an iftar (breaking of the fast) for all Embassy staff and their partners. This year it took place at the restaurant 'Aeroplan' in Sarajevo's Bascarsija. This was a wonderful opportunity for our staff to spend time together in the pleasant festivity atmosphere, and for non-Muslim colleagues to learn more about the tradition and culture of Bosnian Muslims.
Defence Attaché Lt Col Stephen Croft said afterwards: "Iftar is a time for coming together, celebrating together and sharing food together. As a non-Muslim it was an honour and a pleasure to be present at 'Aeroplan' and to learn more of the fascinating religion that is Islam. Even better to try to various delicious dishes, meet friends across the embassy, renew acquaintances and relax in an atmosphere of mutual enjoyment."
