Mayor Avdic presents Honorary Citizen Award to Senator Shaheen: Sarajevo remembers its friends

During the ceremony at the City Hall, she said she accepted the award with a sense of responsibility and would continue working for a sovereign and multiethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina. The award was presented in recognition of Senator Shaheen's longstanding political commitment to strengthening relations between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as her support for the country's European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

Her advocacy for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, democratic development and prosperity of Bosnia and Herzegovina has made her one of the country's most prominent and consistent allies on the U.S. political scene.

In addition to her political support from Washington, Senator Shaheen has demonstrated her commitment through numerous visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina, during which she has highlighted the strategic importance of a stable and prosperous Bosnia and Herzegovina for the United States.

Her contribution to promoting Sarajevo is also reflected in her continued advocacy for the capital of BiH as a symbol of resilience, multiethnicity, freedom and Bosnia and Herzegovina's European future.

Sarajevo Mayor Samir Avdic said he was greatly honored that the award was presented to Senator Shaheen at Sarajevo City Hall.

“It is a great honor for me to present the ‘Honorary Citizen of the City of Sarajevo’ award today in our City Hall to US Senator Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen. This is a sincere expression of gratitude for her years of principled and consistent support for Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Avdic said.

He stressed that through her political engagement, Senator Shaheen had consistently advocated the sovereignty, territorial integrity, stability and prosperity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“It is particularly important that her support has not remained limited to political messages from Washington. Sarajevo has been more than a place for diplomatic meetings for her. In our city, she recognized a symbol of resilience, freedom and Bosnia and Herzegovina's European future,” Avdic said.

He recalled that Shaheen, as a member of the U.S. Senate and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had been an important voice in promoting U.S. engagement in the Western Balkans and support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's European and Euro-Atlantic path.

“Her advocacy for reforms, the rule of law, the fight against corruption, economic development and stronger ties between Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Western Balkans, the European Union and NATO,” Avdic added.

According to him, it is particularly important that Senator Shaheen has been a voice in the U.S. political arena insisting on a democratic and sovereign Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“With this award, Sarajevo is showing that it remembers its friends and appreciates those who stood by our city and our country at important moments. Senator Shaheen, welcome to Sarajevo, a city that is proud to call you its honorary citizen,” Avdic said.

Senator Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen thanked the city for the award, saying she was greatly honored to be named an honorary citizen of Sarajevo.

“It is a great honor and privilege to become an honorary citizen of Sarajevo. It is wonderful to be here again, in this beautiful city and this impressive City Hall, together with the mayor and all of you,” Shaheen said.

Speaking about Sarajevo's history, she noted that the city had survived one of the longest sieges in modern European history.

“In a city where Catholic, Orthodox, Muslim and Jewish places of worship are located just a few minutes from one another, the war was partly fought through attempts to divide communities along ethnic and religious lines,” Shaheen said.

She stressed that more than three decades after the war, Sarajevo represents an example of coexistence among people of different backgrounds and faiths.

“That progress did not happen on its own. It required tremendous effort and genuine courage,” the U.S. senator said.

She added that after the war, Bosnia and Herzegovina could have moved toward even deeper divisions, but that its citizens, democratic institutions and commitment to a shared future enabled a different path.

“During my time in the Senate, I have worked to support strong U.S. engagement in the Western Balkans,” Shaheen said.

She recalled that she had visited Sarajevo several times, observed elections at polling stations across Bosnia and Herzegovina, met with young leaders working to build their future in the country, and participated in commemorations marking the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.

“In each of those moments, I have seen both the progress that has been made and the work that remains to be done,” Shaheen said.

According to her, work must continue to protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and multiethnic character of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as its credible path toward membership in the European Union and NATO.

“I accept this award not only with gratitude but also with a sense of responsibility to continue that work. Thank you once again for this great honor,” Shaheen said.

At the end of the ceremony, Shaheen was congratulated and thanked for her dedicated contribution to strengthening U.S. engagement in the Western Balkans, as well as for her support for the democratic development and European perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Shaheen announced that she would visit Srebrenica tomorrow.

“One of the things we will do during tomorrow's visit is go to the Srebrenica Memorial Center. I have been there several times, and I know how important it is to pay tribute to those who were killed, to remember them, their families and survivors, and to acknowledge what happened there,” Shaheen said.

Speaking about sanctions against Milorad Dodik and his associates, she recalled that a law was adopted last year providing for the reimposition of sanctions on individuals advocating the secession or breakup of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“I have been very clear in my position that sanctions should be reimposed on Mr. Dodik. He is trying to divide the country in ways that are not in the interest of its progress,” Shaheen said.

She added that during Thursday's visit to Srebrenica, she would meet with people and discuss the situation in Bosnia.