Some 20,000 guests took part in the traditional Igman March which took place Saturday at this Bosnian mountain, marking the 78th anniversary of the Igman March – one of the most significant military operation of the Second World War.

Estimates say that the central ceremony and the program near the Monument of the First Proletarian Brigade in Veliko Polje (Igman) were attended by some 20,000 participants, and apart from Bosnian citizens, members of veterans’ associations and government representatives, the event brought together guests from countries in the region, as well as anti-fascists from Italy, Austria and the Russian Federation.

According to the Chairman of the event Organizing Committee Ibrahim Durmo, this year's gathering of anti-fascists was by far the most massive yet. It took place in a dignified and extremely friendly atmosphere, he said, testifying to the strength of community and solidarity despite the current retrograde phenomena and tendencies.

This year's great international antifascist event was held under the auspice of Bosnia's tripartite Presidency Chairman Zeljko Komsic and it was organised by the Federation of Anti-Fascists and Fighters of the National Liberation War of Sarajevo Canton (SABNOR KS), who managed to gather a record number of participants.

The Igman March was carried out on the night of January 27-28, 1942, in the deep snow and freezing cold of minus 38 degrees Celsius, with 800 members of the First Proletarian Brigade walking for 17 hours. On the eve of the march, the First Proletarian Brigade found itself in Romania surrounded by strong German forces.

The Brigade headquarters made the decision to execute a risky but only possible move. Participants in the march passed Sarajevo and, through Igman, made their move to Foca, the then free territory.