BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković participated in an event dedicated to the Sarajevo Haggadah in Washington

Bosnia and Herzegovina's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elmedin Konaković, participated in a Congressional Passover Seder held on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 24, 2026. The event was dedicated to promoting the Sarajevo Haggadah.

The gathering attracted numerous members of the U.S. administration, Congress, and the Senate, as well as representatives from the diplomatic corps and religious leaders from both the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The program highlighted universal values such as interreligious solidarity, courage, and cooperation among communities, as well as the importance of protecting cultural heritage during times of conflict. It also emphasized the collective responsibility to oppose all forms of persecution and discrimination.

The Sarajevo Haggadah, a significant symbol of Bosnia and Herzegovina's cultural heritage, embodies a powerful message of solidarity and humanity. Its history demonstrates how, even during the most challenging times, individuals and communities have worked to protect values that transcend religious and national divides. The preservation of cultural heritage and the defense of human dignity are inherently linked.

Minister Konaković highlighted Sarajevo's long-standing tradition of interreligious solidarity, courage, and mutual respect. Drawing from the experiences of a people who have endured genocide and siege, he emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina finds its strength in solidarity and courage, rather than in hatred. He recalled the Sarajevo Purim of 1819, during which Muslim citizens defended their Jewish neighbors, and the heroic act of Dervish Korkut, the librarian who hid the Sarajevo Haggadah in a mosque among the Qurans during the Holocaust. He pointed out that the Haggadah not only survived the Holocaust but also the longest siege of a city in modern history, symbolizing the strength of the communities that safeguarded it for more than five centuries. "The story of the Sarajevo Haggadah carries a moral lesson: defending the life and heritage of another nation is not an act of mercy-it is an act of justice," stated Minister Konaković.

In light of contemporary global challenges, including rising anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of discrimination, he emphasized that the story of the Sarajevo Haggadah serves as a universal call for joint action and the defense of fundamental human values.