Inauguration of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day Library in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day Library, established by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) at a high school in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was inaugurated with a ceremony on Monday. Travnik Mixed High School, which accommodates 900 students and 70 teachers, now boasts a modernized library featuring approximately 40,000 books, thanks to TIKA’s efforts. The school, which includes Turkish in its curriculum, teaches the language to about 100 students annually.
A highlight of the library is the Turkish bookshelf area, created with contributions from the Yunus Emre Institute. This section also includes materials on the July 15 coup attempt by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), aiming to educate young generations accurately about the event.
The opening ceremony was attended by Turkish Ambassador to Sarajevo Sadik Babur Girgin, Central Bosnia Canton Prime Minister Tahir Lendo, Travnik Mayor Kenan Dautovic, TIKA Sarajevo Coordinator Erdinc Isik, and representatives from both countries. The program also featured a photo exhibition and the screening of the documentary “I Was There That Night,” depicting the events of July 15 through the eyes of Bosnian students.
The defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 were wounded, was plotted and carried out by FETO and its US-based leader Fethullah Gulen. Gulen has long resided in the US state of Pennsylvania. Turkish leaders have persistently sought his extradition, but US judicial officials have not granted the request.
