Skip to main content

The Mediterranean Peace Award goes to the city of Sarajevo

During a solemn ceremony held at Sarajevo City Hall (the Vijećnica), the Mediterranean Peace Prize was awarded to the city of Sarajevo.
The prestigious award was announced to the Bosnian Ambassador to Italy, Amira Arifović Harms, on 6 June 2025 in Naples.
The ceremony was attended by ambassadors and representatives from the political and religious worlds of various countries, including the Secretary-General of the United Nations and High Representative for the Alliance of Civilisations, Miguel Àngel Moratinos, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konaković, Dimitri Avramopoulos, former European Commissioner and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, and others.
The award was accepted by the Mayor of Sarajevo, Samir Avdić.

Continue reading

Meeting with Igor Kožemjakin

Secretary-General Michele Capasso had a cordial meeting with the Dr. Igor Kožemjakin, Hazan of the Jewish Community of Sarajevo, to whom he gave a copy of the book "War Journals. Bosnia".

Continue reading

Meeting with Munira and the mothers of Srebrenica

Secretary-General Michele Capasso and Pia Molinari, accompanied by Amela Zec Filipović, met with President Munira Subašić and other mothers at the Sarajevo headquarters of the Association of Mothers of the Enclaves of Srebrenica and Žepa.
It was a moving meeting during which each mother was given a copy of the book "War Journals. Bosnia", which contains, in its final pages, the names of the 8,372 victims of the Srebrenica genocide of 11 July 1995.
Kada, one of the mothers present, recounted her pain at the loss of six children and her husband, whose names were identified and highlighted in yellow in the pages of the book she had just received. She immediately began to describe who her children and husband were, what they did and how they were murdered. At the end, she said:
"I am sure that God exists, but our people are sick with evil. There is no remedy for my pain. But I am not ashamed. I walk with my head held high".
And so, for a few heart-wrenching hours, a communion of pain and hope was strengthened.
On this occasion, it was decided to launch the ‘MAIKE’ programme, which will bring together the Mothers of Srebrenica with Serbian mothers whose sons committed crimes and then died: a shared pain for a future together, in peace.

Continue reading

Meeting with the President of the House of Peoples Kemal Ademović

Secretary-General Michele Capasso met with the President of the House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina (equivalent to the Senate) Kemal Ademović, to whom he gave a copy of the book War Journals. Bosnia.
The President expressed his great appreciation for Michele Capasso's dedication and concrete aid provided to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war

Continue reading

Summit of Mediterranean public radio and television stations (EBU)

A delegation of media representatives from the 181 countries of the “United States of the World” and the “Fondazione Mediterraneo” participated in the EBU summit on the theme “The Mediterranean: a meeting place”. Representatives from public radio and television stations in 18 countries were present, including Vatican Radio. Ample space was given to the theme of promoting peace and intercultural dialogue, which was appreciated by President Michele Capasso, who has spent the last 40 years of his life working on this issue, calling for the full involvement of the media, particularly public radio and television, since 1985.
The Mediterranean Leadership Summit was a high-level meeting co-organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and RAI - Radiotelevisione Italiana, as part of the MED Dialogues. The Summit was opened by EBU Director General Noel Curran
The chosen theme, “The Mediterranean: a meeting place”, reflects the region's fundamental vocation as a crossroads of civilisations. The Summit highlighted the importance of the media in promoting democratic values, intercultural exchange and peace-building.
The event was attended by representatives from 18 countries in the Mediterranean basin - from Europe, Africa and Asia - including Directors-General, Chief Executives and Presidents of the main public service broadcasters. Vatican Radio was also present, reflecting the broad and representative institutional and cultural participation in the Naples summit. The aim of the Summit is to strengthen cooperation between public service media in the Mediterranean area, share common strategies and contribute to the definition of priorities in a rapidly changing context.

Continue reading