OSCE Mission to BiH heads Tuzla visit

Ambassador Brian Aggeler, head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, visited Tuzla yesterday where he met with a wide range of local counterparts.

The HoM also met with Mayor Jasmin Imamovi and discussed the latest political developments and ongoing initiatives in the city. Ambassador Aggeler thanked Mayor Imamovi for his cooperation with the Mission and his efforts in improving the living standards of Tuzla citizens.

The visit focused on Majevica, a successful story of communities coming together for the benefit of all of their citizens. This includes the municipalities of Ugljevik, Sapna, Teo ak and Lopare.

Ambassador Aggeler supported and praised the work, saying that being a leader of, and a role model for effective cross-entity cooperation at a time when political crises and negative narratives threaten to overshadow positive stories is more important than ever. We hope that positive initiatives will be replicated across the country, for the benefit of everyone regardless of background or nationality. He praised the work done, and said that in this context I would like to thank the German government for allocating nine million euros for demining the entire mountain range, an important step towards revitalizing Majevica as a beautiful and desirable tourist destination. Ambassador Aggeler also met with representatives of the Citizens Forum of Tuzla where he discussed the results of the 2022 General Elections as well as post-election challenges. The Ambassador thanked the Citizens Forum for their activism in support of democratization processes and their long-lasting cooperation with Mission's Field Office Tuzla.

Ambassador Aggeler concluded his visit to Tuzla by presenting the first-place award for the Mission's inclusive school competition titled Proud of Our School. The award was presented to Miladije Primary School for their school's practice of encouraging Roma inclusion.

I am inspired by the efforts of the school teachers, the students and parents who created quality materials that help improve reading and writing skills for beginners. Ambassador Aggeler said the school's work will serve as an inspiration to others as they continue to improve inclusivity and provide equal opportunities for all.