Bosnia marks WWI centenary with concert
Culture |
Vienna's Philharmonic Orchestra performed in Sarejevo to commemorate 100 years since the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Vienna's Philharmonic Orchestra performed in Bosnia-Herzegovina's capital Sarajevo on Saturday in an event held to mark the 100th year since the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which is considered to have instigated the First World War.
The concert was held at the newly-restored in Vijecnica national library, which was destroyed by Bosnian Serb forces in 1992 during the Bosnian war.
"Vijecnica is the symbol of Sarejevo and Sarejovo is the symbol of Europe," Clemens Hellsberg, president of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, said at the beginning of the concert.
Bakir Izetbegovic, Bosnian member of the three-membered presidency council of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, Montenegro's President Filip Vujanovic, Croatia's President Ivo Josipovic, Austrian President Heinz Fischer and diplomats attended to the concert.
Fischer said that history provided important lessons showing that problems are not solved by wars.
The event was organized for the 100th anniversary of the event which triggered the First World War: assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his pregnant wife Sophie by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914.
This single act led to a global conflict with Austria and Serbia dragging other great powers to the war in Europe.
Tens of millions of people had died during the war that ended in 1918.
The concert was held at the newly-restored in Vijecnica national library, which was destroyed by Bosnian Serb forces in 1992 during the Bosnian war.
"Vijecnica is the symbol of Sarejevo and Sarejovo is the symbol of Europe," Clemens Hellsberg, president of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, said at the beginning of the concert.
Bakir Izetbegovic, Bosnian member of the three-membered presidency council of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, Montenegro's President Filip Vujanovic, Croatia's President Ivo Josipovic, Austrian President Heinz Fischer and diplomats attended to the concert.
Fischer said that history provided important lessons showing that problems are not solved by wars.
The event was organized for the 100th anniversary of the event which triggered the First World War: assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his pregnant wife Sophie by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914.
This single act led to a global conflict with Austria and Serbia dragging other great powers to the war in Europe.
Tens of millions of people had died during the war that ended in 1918.
