Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
Although the building of Sarajevo’s Vijećnica (City hall) was renewed more than three years ago, Vijećnica was never really returned to the citizens of Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Contrary to expectations, to the original purpose and history of the building, after the reconstruction Vijećnica was claimed by the city administration, which moved in and is fully disposing it. According to the organization One City, One Fight, the use of space is completely shameful and commercialized, the building is used by the Mayor and is operated by a company.
The informal political organization One City, One Fight in December last year launched the initiative National reading room: Vijećnica is ours! in order to put an end to what they call “illegal transformation of the former building of the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina into a commercialized area that will forever be estranged from those whom it belongs to – the citizens of Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
On Saturday, 18 March 2017, this initiative from Sarajevo against the commercialization and privatization of one of the cultural symbols of Bosnia and Herzegovina will receive support from the citizens of Vienna, together with a number of authors from the Austrian capital. Namely, on that day, at 12:00 hours, there will be simultaneous readings in the two cities, Sarajevo and Vienna, in front of Vijećnica in Sarajevo and in front of the City Library in Vienna. In this way, cultural workers and citizens of Vienna will show solidarity with the initiative National reading room.
Under the slogan “Your house”, readers in Vienna will be Olja Alvira (writer and journalist), Barbi Marković (writer), Gerhard Paschinger (writer), Isolde and Hans Christian Cars (writers), Christoph Baumgarten (journalist), while readers in front of the Sarajevo’s Vijećnica will be Irena Žlof (translator), Adisa Bašić (writer), Ferida Duraković (poet), Mirjana Evtov (translator), Jovana Šego (translator), Nermina Omerbegović (journalist and poet) and Saida Mustajbegović (reporter). Invitation to the reading has also been sent to the Sarajevo mayor, Mr. Abdulah Skaka.
Message for the city authorities remains unchanged: Vijećnica cannot just be the seat of administration or a tourist attraction – Vijećnica is a public good and belongs to everyone. “Therefore, we request the opening of Vijećnica for free visits to the citizens, at least one day a week, and opening of a reading room inside Vijećnica, which will be available to all visitors.”
The organization One City, One Fight is promoting this initiative on social media under the hashtag #VijecnicaJeNasa.