(as prepared) Thank you, Deputy Minister Brkic, and to NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana, my fellow panelists, and the other participants. We are all here because we share the common goal of seeing Bosnia and Herzegovina move forward on its Euro-Atlantic path and demonstrating to all its citizens that their children can build a …
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Ambassador Strömquist, distinguished hosts from Transparency International BiH, guests from other Balkan countries, representatives of civil society. I am honored to be part of this conference. We continue to mark International Anti-Corruption Day, which was on December 9, as it merits special attention in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Corruption has perhaps never been more visible as …
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Good afternoon to students, parents, educators, and education officials across BiH. There is a direct correlation between the success of a country and the quality of its education system. Every country including BiH is facing an increasingly complex world and it is important for education systems to continuously adapt and improve so that the next generation will be equipped with the functional knowledge required to compete in a rapidly changing world. We now …
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Thank you Ambassador Kavalec, and welcome Ambassador Sattler. Also welcome to the everyone listening and taking part in this important discussion. An effective judicial system that combats corruption is fundamental to to BiH’s Euro-Atlantic integration. Year after year, various levels of the judicial system are failing. The justice sector and law enforcement are controlled more …
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I am delighted to welcome you all to this important event and want to thank the East-West Bridge and Mr Robert Jovanović and his team for organizing this conference and the six workshops that preceded it. I am pleased that East-West Bridge and participants in this event have decided to mark the 25th Anniversary of …
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Dobar dan. On behalf of the United States Embassy, I would like to thank the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United States Air Forces in Europe for your efforts to plan, coordinate, and execute this first of its kind joint exercise between our two nations. The exercise builds our ability to function …
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Distinguished guests, I am honored to be involved in this important event to raise awareness and highlight best practices to combat fraud. You all know better than I that fraud and corruption are rampant in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Just last week, Transparency International presented preliminary findings on misuse of public funds by BiH political parties …
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Zdravo svim učenicima i edukatorima i onima koji se obrazuju cijeli život! Welcome to International Education Week 2020! International Education Week celebrates the importance and benefits of international education in the U.S. and around the world. Today, IEW is celebrated in more than 100 countries worldwide. EducationUSA and the Embassy, and our partner American Councils …
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On behalf of the US Embassy, it’s a pleasure to salute everyone participating in Eco-Challenge this year. The U.S. Embassy is proud to have the NGO, Ruke, as our partner in this effort. They have done an excellent job of providing a platform for 134 teams and over 5,000 volunteers so far, who are making …
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On behalf of the US Embassy, it’s a pleasure to salute everyone participating in and supporting the 23rd Annual Project Citizen Finals. The U.S. Embassy has supported civic education in BiH with the Civitas team for more than two decades. Our goal is inspiring young people across BiH to work for positive change in their …
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Dobar dan svima! Its a pleasure to greet everyone participating today in Race for the Cure 2020. I remember fondly a beautiful sunny Sunday last year when we were together for Race for the Cure 2019. And I regret we are not together today in person. The US Embassy has been supporting Race for the Cure for five years because we believe it is important to bring people together around a common cause and create …
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Minister Podžić, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen… Today we commemorate the passing and honor the memory of Ambassador Robert Frasure, Doctor Joe Kruzel, Colonel Nelson Drew, and French Army Corporal Stefan Raoult. It has been twenty-five years since these four brave men, dedicated to finding a path to peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, lost their …
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Thank you, Vedran and INTERA Technology Park for organizing this event. To the BiH diaspora members who are with us online, I want to extend a special warm welcome. Despite the inability to travel and enjoy the beautiful Herzegovina landscape and food, your online presence is a clear indication of your strong commitment to developing …
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It is a great pleasure to welcome all of you here today! I am encouraged to see such a large number of prosecutors who, by coming to this event, have shown readiness and determination to fight corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina with all the means that they possess as individuals exercising important official powers. The …
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Thank you Senita for inviting me to join this event tonight. It’s an honor to be among so many people who are committed to supporting a better future for young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In my travels across BiH, I quickly came to the conclusion that the country’s greatest resource is not its rivers …
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Hello everyone! It’s wonderful to see you all here and to get a chance to meet some more BOLD members. First, I want to thank our wonderful partners here at VII Academy. I’ve talked a lot with Ron and Gary about their goals with this initiative and we know we have found a great partner …
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Dobro jutro! Good morning everyone. It is wonderful to be here at our American Corner in Mostar. I want to express my appreciation to the excellent staff here who do a great job of reaching out to this community and providing opportunities to the people of Mostar. I also want to thank Minister Hadzović for …
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It is a pleasure for me to have the opportunity to mark this major milestone for Lieutenant Colonel Shea and his family. Making it to Lieutenant Colonel is the mark of a successful career. Many officers never make it that far. Fewer still are selected to promotion to Colonel. The promotion we are about to …
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Americans tend to take for granted the diversity we experience throughout our lives. From our first day of primary school, we attend classes with students of different races, nationalities, and religions. As we watch each other play on the same playground and struggle with the same schoolwork, we learn that we are similar in so …
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It is always a pleasure to visit Banja Luka, particularly when I have the opportunity to mark a step forward in our partnership. Today, I am here to celebrate the award of 255,000 KM from the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation to the Museum of Contemporary Modern Art of Republika Srpska. The U.S. Embassy …
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Good afternoon, everyone! We have much to celebrate today. We honor this year’s graduates of the Access English program, and welcome our newly selected students as they launch into their two-year Access journey. Thank you to all the parents in the room, who have traveled from, Tuzla, Travnik, Visoko, and Busovača. You can all be …
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Citizens around Sarajevo have seen and heard UH-1H Huey helicopters flying in and out of their base at Rajlovac for two decades. They have flown for many reasons, always ready to help the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Whether fighting forest fires, conducting flood relief, or providing life-saving medical evacuation, the Armed Forces of Bosnia …
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Ambassador Sattler, Director Salčin, distinguished guests from civil society. It is my honor to be with you here and to be part of this conference. Let me begin by saying that I am glad this event was organized jointly by the Public Procurement Agency and civil society. This shows a great level of trust and …
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Izuzetno sam sretan što sam danas ovdje kako bih najavio drugu fazu financijske podrške za Zemaljski muzej. It’s especially gratifying to be able to announce this grant only six months after celebrating the completion of the first phase of this project to preventatively conserve the important collections of the National Museum. This grant of over …
Read More» I am honored to address all of you at the opening session of this important conference. The theme of the conference is fraud awareness, but all of us are already aware of how pervasive fraud and corruption is in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fortunately, the conference panels go well beyond awareness to talk about preventing, combatting, …
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It is a pleasure for me to be standing inside/in front-of a high school named after someone who was so important to both U.S. history and your history, Nikola Tesla. In my travels I have seen numerous schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina that carry Nikola Tesla’s name, a name that connects our two peoples. He …
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Thank you Prime Minister Forto. The U.S. government and the people of the United States are committed to a secure, prosperous, united and confident future for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jorgan Andrews’ presence here today is one more example of that commitment. For this country to take its place among the …
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Hvala Monika! Dobar dan svima. Thank you very much for inviting me to be with you here today. I understand that this is the first of three conferences, and I can see that you are off to a great start. In my job, I often meet with politicians and business leaders, but my favorite group …
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It is my pleasure to celebrate today a ten year partnership between USAID and the Embassy of Sweden. Our FARMA project has helped BiH farmers become more competitive and integrated with EU markets. We’ve helped them improve quality standards, increase exports and sales, create jobs in rural areas. I congratulate the state Ministry of Foreign …
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Good afternoon, thank you for inviting me to speak with you today. I am pleased to have this opportunity to engage directly with members and prospective members of the American Chamber of Commerce. I understand how busy you all are and greatly appreciate the time you dedicated to attending this luncheon, so I will keep …
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Good Morning everyone. Thank you to the children and representatives of Jezero, Jajce and Mrkonjić Grad for the warm welcome. Today in Jezero, along the beautiful Pliva River, I’m delighted to see the youth, inspired by our April Earth Day Celebration, returning to celebrate our future through Jezero’s connection with NASA and the Mars landing …
Read More» In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the process of accounting for missing persons has been a remarkable success, more than 74 per cent of the 31,000 people who were missing at the end of the conflict have been found using a modern, rights-based, rule-of-law approach. However, more than 7,000 persons remain unaccounted for. Their families live in …
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LTG Masovic, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen… Today we remember and honor the memories of four brave men who tragically passed away twenty-four years ago in the service of their countries. Ambassador Robert Frasure, Doctor Joe Kruzel, and Colonel Nelson Drew, along with French Army Corporal Stefan Raoult perished while seeking an elusive peace to …
Read More» Prime Minister Forto, ladies and gentlemen. I extend a special warm welcome to the Bosnian diaspora attending this event. Your presence is a clear indication of your strong commitment to developing your homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the land you still love. I am excited to be here at Reconnect 2019, the fourth edition of this …
Read More» As we heard in the opening presentation, we expect that results from the PISA process will become a vital proof-point and guide for needed education reform in BiH. But explaining it to the broader audience without provoking a defensive response will require that we all speak with one voice. The International Community supports the common …
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Minister Pendeš, Deputy Minister Jusić, General Mašović, General Jerkić, General Knežević, officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for attending today’s ceremony. I am so happy to join you today to celebrate another advance for the AFBiH. These twenty Humvees represent a tiny fraction of a …
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President Komšić, President Džaferovic, honored guests and dear friends, welcome. Every July 4th, we celebrate the values that launched our nation. As President Trump states in our National Security Strategy, “Liberty, free enterprise, equal justice under the law, and the dignity of every human life are central to who we are as a people. We …
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On behalf of the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, good afternoon and welcome to this cyber security presentation and executive seminar with Cisco Systems. The Embassy is proud to support U.S. companies like Cisco, which deliver high-quality information-technology products to BiH businesses and government ministries. We are always looking for opportunities to connect American companies with …
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Dobro jutro svima. Hvala Majda i hvala načelniče Mašić na toploj dobrodošlici i važnim porukama. Drago mi je što sam danas ovdje sa grupom mladih političara koji su prava inspiracija. It is great to be in a room full of young people. You are always my favorite people to meet. Not only because you are …
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Hello everyone, it’s great to be here and thank you to NDI for inviting me. · I’m glad to be opening this conference along with Robert Benjamin from NDI, who has spent so much time dedicated to this country and this region. · Takođe, radujem se da čujem danas člana Predsjedništva Šefika Džaferovića kako on …
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Dobro veče i dobro došli u Sarajevo! Welcome to our reception this evening in honor of the American business delegation to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Annual Meeting. Welcome to the many business and government leaders from across Bosnia and Herzegovina who join us today, and welcome to the U.S. government delegation attending …
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Dobar dan svima. It gives me great pleasure to be here today with you to celebrate the opening of the historic and beautiful Aladža Mosque. I am happy to see so many people gathered here today, people of all faiths who have come out to see the return of their Aladža. I am proud that, …
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Thank you, Nina, and thank you to all the hardworking members of the Pod Lupom team for your relentless commitment to election transparency. Dobar dan svima. It is an honor to be here today. The theme of this meeting is critical for any country, but especially for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Here, where you have elections …
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Ambassador Berton, Mr. Bizel, Mr. Lakic, Mr. deSanctis, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: It is my pleasure to be here today to help call attention to the specter of corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as highlighted in the OSCE’s second assessment on monitoring of corruption trials in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Is there high-level corruption in …
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Thank you, Adnan. Good afternoon Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. It’s a pleasure to be here with you today. As many of you know, I am fairly new to Bosnia and Herzegovina. I am still getting to know the country and its people. But one thing I have already heard, over and over, is that …
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Čast mi je što sam danas ovdje na obilježavanju Međunarodnog dana svjesnosti o opasnostima od mina. While most countries around the world mark this day abstractly, the sad truth is that the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina are well aware of the horrendous and tragic damage caused by landmines. Almost 25 years after the war, …
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Good evening. I’m glad to have the chance to address you all at the Neum NetWork 9 Conference. I regret my travel schedule prevents me from being there in person. The IT sector is a fundamental part of the strength and success of the United States’ economy. It is a bright spot here in Bosnia …
Read More» Thank you, Peter, for that introduction and good evening to you all. It’s my great pleasure to be here tonight and finally have the chance to meet some of the incredible men and women working side-by-side with our USAID team to bring so many important developments and opportunities to the people of BiH. I started …
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Dobar dan. Hvala što ste mi se danas pridružili. Nastaviću na engleskom jeziku kako vam ne bih parao uši. I have had a very informative and engaging start to my tenure in BiH. I’ve appreciated the warm welcome and am quickly starting to feel at home. I welcome this opportunity today to discuss the United …
Read More» Dobro jutro svima. Hvala vam Borislave na toploj dobrodošlici. Drago mi je što sam danas ovdje sa grupom mladih političara koji su prava inspiracija. Let me start by congratulating each of you for having been chosen to participate in the Advanced Leadership in Politics Institute’s training program – a program that the U.S. Embassy and …
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Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Dodik, it is a great honor for me to present my credentials to you today as U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina. I look forward to leading my government’s work here to advance prosperity, security, and respect for the rule of law benefitting all the citizens …
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Ladies and Gentlemen, Presidents, Ministers, wonderful colleagues – First and foremost, I want to say Thank You to each and every one of you – for being here this evening, and for your partnership these last four years. I want to express my sincere appreciation … To those across the governments at all levels who …
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Ambassador’s Remarks for the Air Monitor Launch Event, June 1 Ministers and Directors, fellow Ambassadors, distinguished guests and friends, good morning and thank you for coming today to help us celebrate the arrival and launch of our air monitoring equipment. We’re especially pleased to have with us today Tima Hanley, a Lead Physical Scientist …
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(as prepared) Secretary Greminger, Ambassadors, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: It’s my pleasure to be here today to help publicize the OSCE’s report on corruption trials. It’s important that we use this opportunity to talk about how corruption hurts everyone in BiH. Over the past year, the OSCE, using over $470,000 in funds donated by …
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Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much to Civitas for hosting me here in Neum, and to all of you, for partnering together on perhaps the most important challenge facing Bosnia and Herzegovina today. I addressed this conference two years ago, and many of us have worked very hard together during these two …
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Presidency Chairman Ivanic, President Covic, President Izetbegovic, Ministers, Diplomatic Colleagues and distinguished guests, Dobro veče svima i dobro došli … to U.S. Embassy Sarajevo’s celebration of the 241st anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America! We’re trying a new approach this year, and I’m impressed by how many of …
Read More» Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for joining us today in Banja Luka to discuss a sector of the economy that is vital to the success of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Agriculture. During my 27 year career in the Foreign Service, I have seen in countries ranging from Korea – where agriculture was …
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Chairman Zvizdic, Distinguished Ministers and Colleagues, Honored Guests — good evening. As the United States Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is an honor to host each of you for our Independence Day Celebration. Dobrodosli and welcome. I would like to give a special welcome to the 22 U.S.-affiliated businesses that contributed their support to …
Read More» Hotel Terme Remarks Ambassador Maureen Cormack President Tegeltija, Director Suljagic, ministers, fellow ambassadors, judges and prosecutors, distinguished guests: A decade ago, when USAID first piloted the Case Management System in six Bosnian courts, there was widespread skepticism as to whether it would be adopted and used. While not a perfect system, today the judiciary uses …
Read More» U.S. Ambassador to BiH Maureen Cormack Remarks at the “2020 Vision for BiH: Prospects for Progress” May 16, Sarajevo Good morning distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen. Five months ago, our hosts today from Johns Hopkins SAIS brought many of us together on Jahorina to begin a discussion on taking the necessary steps to build a …
Read More» BiH Parliamentary Assembly (Blue Room) Remarks Ambassador Maureen Cormack I am very happy to be here today. This is my first official event with the Federation Women’s Caucus, but I first heard about your good work from Senator Jeanne Shaheen and her chief of staff, Maura Keefe, who very much appreciate having been your partners …
Read More» Chargé d’Affaires Paul Horowitz Reading of the play “SEVEN” in BiH Federation Parliament March 8, 2016 Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen! And a special hello and expression of gratitude to all of the ladies in the room today as we celebrate International Women’s Day. Thank you very much for inviting me to speak on such …
Read More» Hotel Bristol Remarks Ambassador Maureen Cormack President Tegeltija, Director Lisak, distinguished ministers, judges and prosecutors, attorneys, donor representatives, honored guests. Since I arrived here in Bosnia and Herzegovina one year ago, I have consistently noted that corruption is one of the biggest challenges facing BiH today. In December, the U.S. Embassy hosted a week of …
Read More» Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished colleagues, and honored guests, I am very pleased to join the Igman Initiative today as you celebrate the 20th anniversaries of both the courageous trip over Mt. Igman that launched your initiative and of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The importance of your thought-provoking conversations on Bosnia and Herzegovina is …
Read More» Chairman Bojic, Minister Borovac, Speaker of House of Peoples Tadic members of the Parliament, members of the academic community, representatives of civil society, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you on this important occasion; Human Rights Day. Today we commemorate the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in …
Read More» Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guests I am very honored to be here today to recognize those who have demonstrated true dedication and courage in the fight against corruption. These individuals represent the many men and women who work to bring justice and transparency to the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and, I hope after today, …
Read More» Ministers, Ambassador Bodonyi, Ambassador Sinanoglu, and distinguished guests – As 190 countries prepare for the COP 21 event in Paris next week, we are gathered here today to consider the context of what is at stake when we discuss climate change, and focus on how we can ensure success in Paris and here in BiH. …
Read More» As Prepared for Delivery Ladies and Gentlemen, Honored guests, Distinguished Colleagues, Dobro Jutro and Good morning! Introduction I am very honored to be here today to open this conference and celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords, technically known as the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. …
Read More» Parliament Ceremonial Hall, September 15, 2015, 13:00 p.m. Dragi svi danas okupljeni ovdje na ovaj istinski poseban dan! To all of you gathered here today, what a special day! This is an important day for all the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a day to celebrate a priceless institution, your National Museum. With the agreement …
Read More» Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much for hosting me here in Mostar at this conference organized by the Agency for Preschool, Elementary and Secondary Education to present Common Core Curriculum outcomes for civic education, and to discuss next steps. In my seven months here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I have concluded that …
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Faculty, parents, friends, dignified guests, and the graduating class of 2015 – it is my great pleasure to address you all today at the sixth commencement ceremony of the American University of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Congratulations to the AUBiH community—and especially the graduating class of 2015 – on reaching this occasion. I want to thank …
Read More» Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Ladies and Gentlemen, good evening. As United States Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is an honor to host each of you this evening. Dobrodošli and welcome. “President Ivanic, President Izetbegovic, Chairman Zvizdic, Ministers, Excellencies, Eminences , ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for being with us tonight. I would …
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University of Tuzla Dobro jutro, dame i gospodo i hvala vam sto ste danas moji domacini na Univerzitetu u Tuzli. (Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and thank you so much for hosting me here today at the University of Tuzla.) Rector Halilovic, esteemed members of the University of Tuzla faculty and staff, special guests, and …
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University of Sarajevo Good Morning! I want to begin by thanking Rector Avdispahic for the invitation to come speak with you today, and many thanks to all of you distinguished faculty and students for the warm welcome and for taking time out of your classes to join me. It is an honor for me to …
Read More» Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to the American Chamber of Commerce’s first luncheon of 2015. I am very pleased to have this opportunity to engage directly with all of the members of the American Chamber of Commerce and other business leaders on what I believe is one of the most important issues …
Read More» Ladies and gentlemen, good evening to you all. Thank you for your warm welcome, both tonight and in the days since we arrived. We’ve had a wonderful introduction to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we are grateful for everyone’s kind hospitality and well wishes. My husband Bill sends his regards— he is a construction engineer with …
Read More» Mayor Komšić, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: I am honored to be here today to mark the successful completion of important restoration works to the Red Cross Society building, which were carried out with funding from the U.S. Embassy’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, in close collaboration with the Commission to Preserve National Monuments and …
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