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 750,000 convertible marks will help modernize plumbing and electrical systems and will also help repair the roofs and windows.
These repairs to essential building systems are necessary to protect the museum collections for future generations.
These collections are exceptionally valuable, and essential not only to the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina, shared by all of its citizens, but also to our understanding of European and world history.
The United States supports projects like these through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation because we value cultural heritage as a vital and defining element of communities and nations. Since 2001, the United States has partnered with institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina on nearly 20 such projects with contributions of more than $2,000,000.
Our support for the National Museum goes beyond financial assistance. Officials from the world-renowned Smithsonian Institution, which includes many of the United States’ top specialists in museum development and collections management, continue to partner with counterparts here in Bosnia and Hercegovina to offer best practices and professional counsel.
I’d like to acknowledge the collaboration of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments and the National Museum professional staffers headed by Dr. Mirsad Sijarić, and thank the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, and the Sarajevo Cantonal Assembly for their support.
I am sorry I have to leave this event a bit early. We remain big supporters of this museum and its collection of shared history of all of Bosnia and Herzegovina and are proud to be able to fund this second large grant.
