Bosnian Religious Leaders Preach Solidarity Against Nationalism

"Standing together" against nationalism was the message of the event held on Monday evening by Bosnia's top religious leaders in an attempt to defuse tensions in the country.

The event saw Bosnia's Grand Mufti and the head of the Catholic Church in Bosnia share jokes with Bishop Grigorije of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Jakob Finci, president of the Jewish Community of Bosnia.

"We must fight for peace and understanding among people," said Husein Kavazovic, the Grand Mufti and leader of the country's official Islamic Community.

The theme of the talk was "the role of religious leaders in the freedom of people from hatred and nationalism", although Kavazovic said the word "hatred" was probably too harsh and that in Bosnia, it was more accurate to talk of a lack of trust, or fear.

Concerns about nationalism in Bosnia have risen in recent months as a referendum in the Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska and celebrations of a public holiday were held by RS leaders despite both having been banned by the country's Constitutional Court.

The past fortnight has also seen open calls for a Croat-led ethno-terroritorial "third entity" in Bosnia, which is currently divided into two entities - one populated mostly by Bosnian Serbs, and the other mostly by Bosniaks and Croats.

Speaking to a crowded hall in central Sarajevo, each religious leader talked about how their religions promoted peace.

"We have to stand together more often in public," said Bishop Grigorije, before adding: "The civilised world is now itself falling into nationalism, and we have to send a message from Bosnia and Herzegovina that this is not the right way."

He had earlier spoken to Republika Srpska public broadcaster RTRS to say Bosnians had learned from ...