News: Bosnia and Herzegovina - Strengthening protection of national minorities
Legislative amendments enacted to strengthen protection from discrimination in Albania
On 15 October 2020 the Parliament of Albania adopted the changes to the Law on “Protection from Discrimination”, following an initiative by the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination. Enacted on 18th November 2020 the reinforced legislation foresees new forms of discrimination and is...
Visit to Strasbourg – for better protection of the rights of national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The members of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of National Minorities and Secretariat of the Joint Commission for Human Rights of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in the study visit to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 9th May 2019. The visit provided an opportunity...
Study visit to Berlin: Good practices in functioning of the minority representation bodies
Between 12th and 14th May 2019, the representatives of the Minority Co-ordination Group took part in a study visit to Berlin, organised under the project: "Strengthening the protection of national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina". The purpose of this study visit was to exchange experiences...
Positive Practices of the Project „Strenghtening the Protection of National Minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina“
The project: „Strenghtening the protection of national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina“ organised its final Steering Commitee Meeting followed by a closing event on 7th May 2019. Mr. Drahoslav Štefanek, Head of Council of Europe office in Sarajevo, congratulated the stakeholders on succesful...
Promoting the full and effective equality of persons belonging to minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina is committed to undertake promotion of the full and effective equality of the persons belonging to minorities in all areas of economic, social, political and cultural life. This is something that is ratified through Framework Convention for the Protection of National...
Direction for affirmation of multiculture
Closing event “Promotion of national minorities in the City of Tuzla”
Closing ceremony of the project: “Promotion of national minorities in the City of Tuzla” was held on Thursday (21/3/2019) in Dramar centre Tuzla. The publication and documentary movie about national minorities in Tuzla were presented during the ceremony. The movie portrays, for the first time,...
Competition on national minorities as an experience to remember!
At the “First competition of elementary schools about national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina” held in Municipality of Prnjavor, three schools stood out with their knowledge and presentation of minority cultures, traditions and customs. These schools, “Branko Ćopić” and “Nikola Tesla” from...
Elementary pupils presented national minority culture and customs
“Let’s get to know each other”
On 15th February 2019 City of Prijedor hosted the manifestation “Let’s get to know each other” with the aim to promote and enhance the status of national minorities, to strengthen institutional cooperation and to adhere to the needs of minorities in the area of tradition, culture, history and...
City of Tuzla as an example of unity of cultural diversities
"When an Italian and Albanian song, Macedonian poetry, Roma theatre and Slovenian choir performance are gathered at a single manifestation in one city, that city then represents Europe in its essence as an environment where cultural diversities exist in harmonious unity", it was concluded at the...
Promotion of national minorities in the City of Tuzla
The students of five elementary schools in Tuzla (Jala, Centar, Brčanska malta, Tušanj and Catholic school “Sveti Franjo”) recently had an opportunity to participate in somewhat different classes than they are used to. The young people from 6th to 9th grade discussed many topics on national...
City of Sarajevo continues promoting national minority rights with the support from the European Union and the Council of Europe
City of Sarajevo organised today “Day of national minority languages” in the City Hall (Vijećnica). This activity is implemented within the project “Provision of Contribution to Effective Realisation of Rights and Needs of National Minorities in Sarajevo in the fields of Education, Media and...
Discussion on the criteria for selection of members to council(s) of national minorities
Third meeting of the Minority Coordination Group was held yesterday in Konjic. Participants discussed the proposals for new criteria for selection of members to council(s) of national minorities, especially Council of National Minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). One of the key criteria...
Regional cooperation in preventing discrimination in the Western Balkans
Creating conditions where everyone has a fair and real opportunity to contribute to and profit from a genuinely inclusive society as well as improving the position of minorities in the Western Balkans are the main goals that were recognized in Podgorica by representatives of institutions from the...
Expert’s Opinion on the Law on the protection of rights of persons belonging to national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Council of Europe engaged consultants to provide an expert’s Opinion on the current Law on the protection of rights of persons belonging to national minorities in BiH upon request from the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After extensive consultations, the opinion...
European Union/Council of Europe team up with local communities to improve lives of national minorities in BiH
European Union/Council of Europe officially awarded grants of up to 10.000 Euros each to Brčko, Prnjavor, Prijedor, Sarajevo and Tuzla today in Brčko District. The grants will support local communities to remove barriers that prevent members of national minorities accessing their rights, but also...
Discussion on public media reporting about national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
What are obligations of public media regarding reporting about national minorities in BiH? Are media fulfilling these obligations? What are challenges in reporting about national minorities? These were some of the questions that representatives of public media, councils of national minorities on...
New film on launch of national minorities action
On 16th May 2018, the Action "Strengthening the protection of national minorities in BiH" was launched in Sarajevo City Hall ‘Vijećnica’. The Action is implemented within the joint programmatic framework “Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey” and funded by the European Union and the...
First meeting of the newly established Minority Coordination Group
Newly established Minority Coordination Group is having its first meeting today in Sarajevo. The main aim of the group is to strengthen communication and coordination between relevant actors who are directly involved in the protection of the rights of national minorities resulting with concrete...
Joint European Union and Council of Europe support to national minorities in BiH
On 16th May 2018, the Sarajevo City Hall ‘Vijećnica’ was a beacon of multiculturalism. Representatives of BiH’s national minorities, relevant Ministries and representatives of institutions on State, Entity, Cantonal and Brčko District levels, together with civil society organisations,...
New EU/CoE project to support national minorities in BiH
Today was an important day for national minorities in BiH. Action titled “Strengthening the protection of national minorities in BiH” has been launched in Sarajevo’s Vijećnica gathering representatives of national minorities, representatives of relevant Ministries and representatives of...