Residents of Mostar on approaches to the bridge.

The opening ceremony came as the climax of the program that lasted for weeks, with numerous exhibitions, conferences, concerts and other events celebrating one of the most unique, and most important events that marked this year in Bosnia and Herzegovina.       

“The inauguration of the bridge is an important step on the way to achieving the goals we all share,” said Managing Director Shengman Zhang, in his address at the opening ceremony. “It represents a powerful symbol of the physical reconstruction of this lovely town as well as the emotional renewal we have witnessed among the citizens of this community and the country at large.”

The fact is, the Old Bridge was never "just a bridge." It was a symbol of people connecting with each other, proof of human triumph over nature, and a stunning architectural achievement. In the eyes of local people, it had its own soul. Its return has come to signify a new beginning, not only for the city of Mostar but for the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well.

In 1566 the Ottoman architect, Mimar Hajrudin built this stone bridge in what was then just a small Turkish outpost in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The bridge spanned the emerald green waters of the Neretva River and came to be known as "Stari Most", or Old Bridge. The outpost grew into a city and was eventually named after the bridge—Mostar, or "keeper of the bridge." The bridge and its cobble-stoned old town did not change much throughout the centuries—even during the two world wars that engulfed the region.

The link between a divided people

All that came to an end on November 9, 1993, when artillery and tanks destroyed the bridge, by then one of BH’s greatest cultural treasures. The bridge had not only been the symbol of the city, which is now divided between Bosnian Croats and Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), but also a symbol of BH’s historic tolerance for diversity among its peoples.

The bridge, draped in white ribbon and silver spangles, before the official inauguration.

IDA participated in this with $4 million, local governments contributed $2 million, while additional $6.5 million were provided by other donors: Italy $3 million, the Netherlands $2 million, Croatia $0.5 million and the Council of Europe Development Bank $1 million.

But there were other important participants. The Governments of France and Turkey supported the reconstruction of the bridge with technical assistance and partial financing of the stones, respectively. UNESCO took the lead role with responsibility for cultural integrity and architectural authenticity. Two other cultural organizations, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (Geneva) and the World Monuments Fund (New York), played important roles in designing and overseeing the implementation of other components of the project package.

However magnificent, the Old Bridge and its reconstruction were much more than meets the eye, stress both Larry Hannah, the Task Team Leader on the project and Vesna Francic, the local project officer. The project and its success were the fruit of an extraordinary partnership between the people of Mostar, the national and local authorities, and the international community.  This combined effort was more than a simple pooling of money.  It reflected the combined efforts of a “coalition of the committed;” one that  remains determined to help this city and this country rebuild and start afresh after the suffering and strife of the 1990s.

“Some of you might be surprised to see the World Bank among the line-up of institutions and governments supporting the reconstruction of the Stari Most and other projects in the old town,” Zhang said in his speech. “It’s true; we don’t normally 'do' reconstruction of old bridges or towns.  The reason we wanted to be part of this effort is because we strongly believe that putting the bridge and its surroundings back together again provides an extraordinary opportunity for reconciliation among the peoples of Bosnia-Herzegovina.”

Rusmir Cisic, a Bosniak who is the director of the Project Coordination Unit, and his deputy Tihomir Rozic, a Bosnian Croat, stand as a testimony that this reconciliation is already taking place. Over the years, the two of them jointly oversaw and supervised all day-to-day works.

“We are from all backgrounds here. That can make some people jealous, seeing how well we agree with one another,” Rozic said. “The reconstruction of the Old Bridge also means a return of identity for everyone in Mostar, as they feel this bridge is one of their own.”

"The bridge is a very important component in breaking down all barriers between Bosnian Croats and Bosniaks,” Cisic adds. "The people of Mostar realized what this bridge meant to them when it disappeared into the river. Our citizens felt an intense loss of identity when the bridge crumbled."
 
All local and many international media frequently covered the bridge reconstruction, while tens of thousands of viewers from around the world watched 24-hour coverage of final works on the web at www.starimost.telecom.ba.

Fireworks highlighted the celebration for the opening of the bridge at Mostar.

“An important lesson we take away from our experience in Mostar is that cultural heritage is a vital asset; one just as powerful as human and financial capital,”  Zhang said in his remarks at the opening ceremony. “There are strong links between this sublime cultural artifact (the bridge) and this country’s ability to meet its contemporary social and economic goals. In Mostar we are seeing the power of this linkage confirmed again as new opportunities and new hopes arise alongside the restored Stari Most.”

This article was contributed by Srecko Latal, External Affairs Officer, Sarajevo Office.

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