International Scientific Conference "30 Years After Dayton: Myths, Realities, and New Visions for the Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina" Officially Opened at the City Hall

30 YEARS AFTER DAYTON - A CONFERENCE THAT RAISES QUESTIONS FOR THE FUTURE STRUCTURE OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the University of Sarajevo organized and officially opened the international scientific conference "30 Years After Dayton: Myths, Realities, and New Visions for the Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina" at the City Hall. This four-day scientific gathering brought together over 50 prominent domestic and international researchers, academics, and practitioners to offer critical and analytical reflections on three decades of the Agreement’s legacy and its prospects for the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Speakers included Prof. Dr. Tarik Zaimović, Rector of the University of Sarajevo; Prof. Dr. Zinka Grbo, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Sarajevo and Chairwoman of the Scientific Committee; and Prof. Dr. Sead Turčalo, Dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Sarajevo and President of the Organizing Committee. The opening lecture titled “Where Does the Future Begin Unburdened by Dayton?” was delivered by Prof. Dr. Nerzuk Ćurak, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In collaboration with the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Archive, an exhibition titled “Three Decades of Dayton” was also opened.

"Today, thirty years after the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, as the scientific and academic community, we have a duty to speak openly, responsibly, and without hesitation about its consequences, limitations, and significance for the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is time for us as a society to outgrow the Dayton Peace Agreement and, through democratic reforms and with full respect for international law and court rulings, to create a new constitutional framework for Bosnia and Herzegovina," stated Prof. Dr. Tarik Zaimović, Rector of the University of Sarajevo.

Speech by Prof. Dr. Tarik Zaimović, Rector of the University of Sarajevo: "It's Time for Bosnia and Herzegovina to Outgrow the Dayton Peace Agreement" (download)

"This conference is not just a commemoration of Dayton, nor a mere retrospective. It is a call for a new reflection on the social contract—not one that destroys peace, but one that builds upon it. It is time to stop shying away from discussions on changes, reforms, and a new constitutional framework. Change should not be a taboo if the goal is a fairer, more functional, and freer society," explained Prof. Dr. Zinka Grbo, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Chairwoman of the Scientific Committee.

"The university conference on the Dayton Peace Agreement aims to fulfill the tasks of science, which, using its categorical tools, should demystify and reveal political falsifications of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s constitutional law, analytically evaluate the constitutional, political, and social development of the country over the last 30 years, and offer guidelines for institutional and non-institutional actors to realize the constitutional architects’ plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina—outlined in the Preamble of the Constitution of BiH and its ten commandments—which project a modern and liberal democracy that protects freedom, equality, and human dignity as the highest values," stated Mr. Harun Išerić from the Faculty of Law at the University of Sarajevo.

Professors from Yale, Luxembourg, Vienna, Graz, Utrecht, Trento, Milano-Bicocca, Strasbourg, Ljubljana, as well as from domestic universities in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, and Mostar, participated in the conference. Over the next three days, through plenary panel discussions, the participants will debate the functioning of the Dayton Peace Agreement, its shortcomings, and potential future models for more effective governance of Bosnia and Herzegovina.