Diary

- Regular Forums continue on the first Monday of every month (or the second, if the first falls on a Bank Holiday) from 7 pm to 9 pm at our usual venue, The Boardroom, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, W1 (in association with the Centre for the Study of Democracy). The next meeting will take place on 8 January 2007, and details will be announced in the usual way on the Bosnian Institute website, www.bosnia.org.uk, and in invitations sent by e-mail or post to friends of the Institute.

- The BI forum on 4 September 2006, devoted to ‘The Musical Heritage of Bosnia-Herzegovina’, was introduced by Risto Pekka Pennanen from the University of Tampere in Finland, whose recent projects have been concerned with nationalism and music in the Balkans, and with music in Austro-Hungarian Bosnia. His informative presentation focused in particular on the unique collection held by the EMI Music Archive that was recorded in Sarajevo in 1907-8.

- On 2 October 2006 we were fortunate to have as our guest speaker Stephen Schwartz, author of the best-selling The Two Faces of Islam (2004), and also of Sarajevo Rose: a Balkan Jewish notebook (2005) published by Saqi Books in association with The Bosnian Institute, who introduced a vigorous discussion on the topical theme of ‘Balkan Islam: the indigenous European alternative’.

- The 6 November 2006 forum was particularly significant: dealing with the crucial issue of ‘Proving Genocide and Responsibility’, it was introduced by Phon van den Biesen, a leading Dutch international lawyer who acts on behalf of Bosnia-Herzegovina before the International Court of Justice at The Hague, in its lawsuit charging Serbia with genocide.

- From 30 November to 3 December 2006, The Bosnian Institute in partnership with Sarajevo Film Festival brings a third season of the best new features and shorts by Bosnian film makers and producers - New Bosnian Cinema 2006 - to Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9RL. For details and bookings, contact Riverside Box Office, 020 8237 1111 (12.00-21.00) or www.riversidestudios.co.uk

- On 4 December 2006 we were privileged to show a brand-new 60-minute documentary film on Ban Kulin’s 1189 Charter to the people of Dubrovnik, the most important document of mediaeval Bosnian statehood. This was only the second time the film had been shown, following its premiere at the Balkan Black Box festival in Berlin. The ensuing discussion with director Zehrudin Isaković was particularly enthusiastic and animated.