Organized by the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Institute for the Protection of Monuments, another panel discussion was held at the Ministry on December 11, 2025, under the title “The Role of Cultural-Historical Heritage in Building Identity and Reconciliation with a Focus on Archaeology.”

The panel was moderated by Martina Marinčić, an employee of the Institute for the Protection of Monuments, and the guest panelists were:

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tino Tomas, junior assistant in Archaeology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mostar
• Prof. Dr. Amra Šačić Beća, Associate Professor at the Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, University of Sarajevo
• Dr. Aleksandar Jašarević, museum advisor and archaeologist at the Regional Museum Doboj

At the very beginning, Minister Sanja Vlaisavljević addressed the audience:

“This is already the second panel organized by the Ministry and the Institute for the Protection of Monuments, and it has truly started with strong topics—topics that even many established intellectuals and the academic community do not dare to speak about. Thank you for being part of this story. And when it comes to archaeology in the service of identity and reconciliation… Sometimes reconciliation itself is a great archaeology, almost a great excavation—of wounds, but also of beautiful stories that can follow. I want to believe that today’s discussions will give birth to a beautiful reconciliation of ideas through archaeology. Let this brave theme be a guiding light for all of us,” said the Minister.

On behalf of the Institute for the Protection of Monuments, Director Robert Stergar welcomed the participants, emphasizing that the aim of the discussion was to direct and strengthen the role of cultural-historical heritage in building identity and reconciliation, with a focus on archaeology:

“Archaeology, given that it can ‘materialize’ elements of the selective combination of memory and forgetting and the narratives that follow, represents a powerful tool: it provides a physical, visible, and ‘scientifically confirmed’ past that can be used as evidence of collective distinctiveness, continuity, or territorial legitimacy. Responsible archaeology must be aware of its political role and should become a means of dialogue, understanding, and inclusion.”

He further noted that unlike abstract historical texts, archaeological finds are visible and tangible, and that interdisciplinarity, critical education, and especially professional ethics must clearly highlight the serious consequences of manipulating archaeological data.

The panel discussion was divided into two thematic blocks:

• “Archaeology, Identity, and Political Instrumentalization” – focusing on how archaeology shapes identity, how it can be misused for political purposes, and how the profession can develop ethical, methodologically sound, and critical approaches that prevent manipulation of the past.
• “Archaeology, Multiculturalism, and Heritage Ethics” – focusing on how archaeology and history can promote multiculturalism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, how cultural institutions can become stable and inclusive, and how heritage can be managed ethically, transparently, and responsibly, including restitution, interpretation, and public communication.

The panel was attended by numerous guests: representatives of cantonal institutes for the protection of cultural-historical heritage, professors, archaeologists, and students.