#Arts & Entertainment
Target:
Local and national government
Region:
Bosnia and Herzegovina

As some of you may have already heard, on the 6th October 2009 the National Theatre in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) has closed its doors to the public due to lack of funds. The Theatre was forced into a corner due to irresponsible behaviour of the town’s and regional government who has refused since 2007 to support this 60 year old beacon of culture in Herzegovina.

The town’s governors have arbitrarily turned the ownership rights of the Theatre to the regional government (Hercegovačko-neretvanski kanton) who has not to this day accepted its ownership and thereby responsibility of financing its activities. In other words, like an orphan, this oldest and biggest cultural institution in the region has been abandoned by its parents.

This is a shameful act of neglect and an attempt to rob Mostar of its cultural heritage and one of the most important cultural institutions in a history of this town People from Mostar and thier friends are shocked, outraged and deeply saddened at the prospect of the National Theatre in Mostar closing its doors forever after 60 fruitful years. We are starting this petition to offer our support to the collective of National Theatre, its artists and workers, who are very grateful for the support of this cause and have already expressed great appreciation. Next week (starting on 12th October) the collective of National Theatre will start negotiations with the town and regional government. The least we can do to help them in their efforts to save the National Theatre in Mostar is sign this petition.

Lovers of theatre, art and culture, friends of National Theatre and town of Mostar please sign the following petition ASAP and help save the National Theatre in Mostar. Thank you for your support.

You can find out more in the following articles (sadly they are not in English):

http://www.24sata.info/vijesti/bosna-i-hercegovina/mostar/8980-Katastrofalno-stanje-Narodno-pozoriste-Mostar-pred-gasenjem.html

http://www.slobodnaevropa.org/archive/news/20091006/500/500.html?id=1844799

http://www.bljesak.info/content/view/30112/158/

http://www.nezavisne.com/kultura/vijesti/47050/Klinicka-smrt-Narodnog-pozorista-Mostar.html

Petition to save the National Theatre in Mostar, Bosnina and Herzegovina:

We, the undersigned, strongly feel that after 60 successful years, the National Theatre in Mostar must not stop. We must do all that is possible to keep this irreplaceable cultural institution that has been educating, entertaining, challenging and inspiring its audiences, going.

We seek of Mostar town government, regional government and authorized national bodies to do all that is in their power to save the National Theatre in Mostar from dying, and thereby save the integrity of Mostar as the cultural centre of Herzegovina. We believe that investing in National Theatre is not just of benefit to the town of Mostar and its citizens, but it is of benefit to all people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, its future generations and numerous friends of National Theatre and of Mostar around the world.

Peticija za spas Narodnog pozorišta u Mostaru:

Mi, niže potpisani, smatramo da se Narodno pozorište u Mostaru nakon 60 uspješnih godina postojanja ne smije ugasiti, te da je naša i Vaša moralna obaveza poduzeti sve što je moguće da se ova nezamjenjiva kulturna institucija koja decenijama obrazuje, animira i nadahnjuje svoju mnogobrojnu publiku održi na životu.

Stoga molimo gradsku upravu, vladu Hercegovačko-neretvanskog kantona te nadležna državna tijela Bosne i Hercegovine da učine sve šta je u njihovoj moći da Narodno pozorište u Mostaru spase od propasti. Vjerujemo da je ulaganje u Narodno pozorište neprocjenjiv doprinos ne samo gradu Mostaru i svim njegovim građanima, već i ljudima Bosne i Hercegovine, te budućim generacijama i mnogobrojnim prijateljima Narodnog pozorišta i grada Mostara širom svijeta.

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The Save the National Theatre in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) petition to Local and national government was written by Galina Kalicin and is in the category Arts & Entertainment at GoPetition.