The Prince of Wales to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina
His Royal Highness will visit Bosnia and Herzegovina on 17-18 March 2020.
The visit of The Prince of Wales to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) demonstrates the UK’s increased commitment to BiH and the Western Balkans region, its support for reforms to improve citizens’ lives and create a brighter future; as well as His Royal Highness’s own long-standing commitment to post-conflict reconciliation in the Western Balkans.
His Royal Highness will undertake engagements in Sarajevo and Srebrenica. A key element will be a visit to the memorial at Srebrenica to mark the 25th anniversary of the genocide. His Royal Highness will pay his respects to the victims, accompanied by a number of survivors, including mothers who are still looking for their missing family members. His Royal Highness has previously met families of the missing from BiH, and across the region at Clarence House in 2017 and again in 2018. In both Srebrenica and Sarajevo, The Prince will have the opportunity to hear about the progress that has been made in finding the remaining people from across the region, who are still missing.
In Sarajevo, The Prince will call on the tripartite BiH Presidency, and meet local leaders from business, politics, culture, civil society, and the Armed Forces. His Royal Highness will also meet religious leaders in BiH, in recognition of their work on reconciliation and building understanding across communities. His Royal Highness will also learn about how the UK has been supporting survivors of wartime sexual violence, helping them overcome the stigma that they and their families face.
His Royal Highness will also visit local artisans and historic sites within the old town. He will meet those helping to build a better future for their country including social entrepreneurs, activists, food producers, and other champions of sustainable growth. Young students from across the country will present their projects developed under the 21st Century Schools programme, implemented by the British Council in all primary schools in the Western Balkans. Against a backdrop of high emigration, this gives young people an opportunity to learn new IT skills, develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and offers a greater incentive for them to stay and shape their country’s future.
His Royal Highness will meet UK military personnel involved in securing a safe and secure environment in BiH, and bolstering the BiH-UK defence relationship.
His Royal Highness last visited BiH in 2007 and visited other Western Balkans countries in 2016.