A fitting program also included a gathering with fighters, veterans, members of the Novi Grad and other war brigades and the RBiH Ministry of Internal Affairs, women fighters, war military invalids, family members of martyrs and fallen soldiers of the Army of RBiH, civilian war victims, army generals, and numerous guests from social and public life.
The event marking one of the most significant dates in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina was held in the "Ramiz Salčin" sports hall, where, alongside a cultural-entertainment program, lunch was organized for over 800 fighters and guests.
"It was an opportunity to remind ourselves how the fighters of the Army of RBiH bravely and heroically opposed the intentions of those who wanted to destroy this city and this country, to remember the bravest sons and daughters of BiH, who gave their lives for the freedom in which we live today, to pay tribute to them, and to express respect and gratitude for what they did for an independent, sovereign, and free BiH," stated the Municipality of Novi Grad.
The commemoration was attended by members of the Novi Grad brigades, representatives of state, federal, and cantonal levels of government, the Municipal Council of Novi Grad Sarajevo, directors of educational institutions, and guests from other brigades.
The host of the event, the Mayor of Novi Grad Sarajevo Municipality Semir Efendić, and the Minister for Veterans' Affairs of Sarajevo Canton Omer Osmanović addressed those present.
Mayor Efendić said that the Municipality of Novi Grad strives every year on April 15 to gather as many former members of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina as possible, with the goal of honoring and showing respect to them on that day.
"This country would not exist if it weren't for the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the determination of our people to defend themselves from aggression, of course through the Army. Today we have something called the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the new legal system after Dayton, but we also have the memory of what preceded those Armed Forces, and it is certain that today there would be neither Armed Forces nor other institutions if it weren't for the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina that defended this country," emphasized Mayor Efendić.
He added that it is important to preserve awareness, that all future generations must be aware that the future of the country also depends on whether we are ready to defend it.
"The Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina showed that we can always defend this country when we want to, in the most difficult circumstances. It was not sufficiently armed, technically equipped, nor organized, it did not even have enough time, but the determination and heart shown by our boys (a large part of whom gave their lives for our homeland) showed that a people who want to defend themselves cannot be defeated or conquered. And that is the memory we preserve, by preserving the heritage of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina," stressed Mayor Efendić.
He highlighted the importance of nurturing the memories of Army members about those events, for generations who do not remember and do not recall the war, so that they can hear directly from living witnesses what happened in the area of the Sarajevo municipality of Novi Grad and all of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As part of the program marking the Day of the Army of RBiH, those present had the opportunity to watch a film—a brief reminder of the heroic and victorious days of the Army of RBiH.
In the musical part of the event, students of the "Avdo Smailović" Elementary School performed accompanied by Haris Ganić, and a musical orchestra under the professional direction of Samir Zavlan.
The many present, with much emotion, recalled the heroic days of our Army, alongside patriotic songs that emerged during the siege of Sarajevo and the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, performed by Abid Sakalaš, Riza Hamidović, and Nešad Selman.
The host of the event was Bosnian-Herzegovinian actor Irfan Kasumović.
The Minister for Veterans' Affairs of Sarajevo Canton reminded that one of the members of the most honorable generation that walked the Bosnian lands is the generation sitting in the "Ramiz Salčin" hall, which treads heavenly expanses.
"'The generation that voted for BiH, that defended BiH, and that built BiH. I hope that the sons of heroes Ramiz Salčin, Safet Hadžić, who are sitting here today, will continue the path taken by the heroes led by their fathers. Just as the BiH football national team, the fighters of the Army of RBiH fought for the anthem, for the flag, for the homeland, the state of BiH, and they fought for it. I hope that the generation now coming, sitting with us, will be the generation that will take us into the European Union, into the NATO alliance, and that we will wake up in the morning with good news," said Minister Osmanović.