Adnan Terzic

Adnan Terzic, Prime Minister of BiH

It is my honor, from the position of the Chairman of Minister's Council, to open a Conference "Education for the Culture of Peace", on which many eminent scientists, public and cultural workers from the country and abroad, will give their contribution.

It is very important that this conference is organized by non-governmental sector, and that fact contributes in creating civic society. Organisations like Yours create an influence on governmental structures and that can help our society to start making faster steps forward. There is no such government that can make programs of cultural development without cooperation with active civic society that knows what society needs. This Counil of Ministers, where I am a chairman, wants to recognise, encourage and cooperate with all the segments of civic society.

I consider the education for peace as a way of reintegration of our differencies that were crudely violated in the past time. But, if we all together participate in promoting national, as well as universal cultural values, and if we are opened towards meeting other's cultures, we will be enriched by values that surely lead to peace.

The wars have always been destroying those fine threads on which Bosnia and Herzegovina lays. History shows us that those wars have often been caused by prejudicies rised because of using culture for promoting various ideologies or political values. The ignorance is harmful and prejudicial and we felt that so many times till now - that's why we must base our future on education and science.

On the contrary, the peace was always creating a chance for our prosperity. That's why I think that I have a privilege to ask you to fight against abuse of all medias of cultural and art expression, whose goal is creating prejudicies and stereotypes about those who are different than us in any ways. Be opened towards learning of others, teach opening towards other cultures becouse it's the only way to know and understand each other, to get rid of prejudicies and to avoid the conflicts. Culture, certainly, brakes the barriers - race, religion heritage, country borders, as well as the time itself. However, I believe that the education in culture, with your contribution as well, will be a corective for those who impose these barriers.