On May 2, 1992, Sarajevo’s defence repelled an attack by the Yugoslav Army (JNA) aimed at taking over Bosnia’s Presidency building and eliminating the leadership of late President Alija Izetbegovic.

The Battle for the Presidency is considered the decisive battle for the defence of Sarajevo and the moment when it became apparent that the city was under siege. What would follow is the longest siege of a capital in modern history.

Citizens were left without food, water or electricity, while under nearly constant shelling and sniper fire for the next 1,425 days.

The date when Sarajevo was defended is only marked in one of Bosnia's two semi-autonomous regions, the Federation (FBiH). The Serb-majority region of Republika Srpska (RS) does not mark it.