Wake Up Europe! – Mobilization of Support and Solidarity for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Its Citizens During the 1992-1995 War

In October 2021, the History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina presented the exhibition Wake up Europe! Mobilization of Support and Solidarity for Bosnia and Herzegovina and its Citizens During the 1992-1995 War. While for most people in Europe the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was just a media event, at the same time, thousands of individuals decided that they did not want to remain mere observers. Solidarity support and mobilization took different forms and was not limited to professional aid organizations. Mobilisations included ordinary citizens, informal groups, non-governmental organizations, cities, and artists. Solidarity and support was shown through help offered to Bosnian refugees who arrived in other European countries, the collection and transportation of food, medicines and equipment to Sarajevo and other parts of BiH, and/or organization of demonstrations, meetings, information campaigns with the aim of mobilizing fellow citizens and exerting pressure on their own governments to change their policy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina. These initiatives were a heterogeneous mobilization, a combination of humanitarian and civic engagement, often in close interaction with those in Sarajevo and BiH, who were involved in the civic, cultural, and intellectual defence of the Bosnian way of life. The aim of the exhibition is to provide a historical overview of these mobilizations in Europe, which are a lesser-known aspect of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Various types of initiatives are presented in the exhibition, which are illustrated through concrete examples. In addition, the exhibition intends to encourage reflection on the most pressing question of the time: What do we mean by solidarity? Are we doing enough to show solidarity with others?