Sarajevo will name a street after Stephen Hawking, the late renown physicist, cosmologist and author who openly criticized Western countries for not getting actively involved in Bosnia’s 1992-95 war.

At a session today, the Sarajevo's City Council agreed to the proposal, which came from the Union for a Better Future (SBB) political party.

„Stephen Hawking is a synonym for a determined battle with disease, for courage and persistence, with which he stood up to a serious physical handicap against which he, in his own, innovative way, kept winning over for decades,” the SBB said in a statement.

Hawking suffered from a rare form of motor neurone disease, which gradually paralysed him throughout decades. He died on March 14 this year, aged 76.

The political party also reminded that while the bloody siege of Sarajevo was ongoing, Hawking was sending letters of support to the citizens.

„The Stephen Hawking Street will therefore not only be a monument to science and a renown scientist, but also a monument to humanity, courage, the fight for a better world and equality of all people,” the statement said.

The street will, according to the party, have a special educational and touristic value „for all visitors who will, in this street, be reminded of universal values, science, education, proper nurture and contribution to creating a better life for all of us.”