PULJIC TAKES OVER CHAIRMANSHIP OF BOSNIAN INTER-RELIGIOUS COUNCIL

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (May 8,2008) – The Bosnian Inter-religious Council chairmanship takeover was completed yesterday in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. Current Council’s president, Reisu-l-ulema Mustafa Ef. Ceric, Head of the Bosnian Islamic Community handed the chairmanship to leader of the Roman Catholic Community in Bosnia Cardinal Vinko Puljic.

The chairmanship mandate is fixed to one year.

"I was supposed to hand over the chairmanship to leader of the Bosnian Jewish Community Jakob Finci but since he is taking over the position of the Bosnian Ambassador to Switzerland he left the mandate to Cardinal Vinko Puljic”, stated Reisu-l-ulema Mustafa Ef. Ceric.

Cardinal Vinko Puljic stated that the Bosnian Inter-religious council shall continue with planed activities and programs and work on raising awareness about the importance of inter-religious dialogue and cooperation through improvement of relations among religious communities in Bosnia.

The Council’s Assembly yesterday adopted the report on freedom of religion in Bosnia (November 2006 – December 2007).

This is the first time the Council published the report on religious freedoms in Bosnia.

The Bosnian Inter-religious Council (IRC-BiH) has been in existence since 1997 through joint commitments by Reisu-l-ulema Mustafa ef. Ceric, the Bosnian Islamic Community, Metropolitan Nikolaj,the Orthodox Christian Community in bosnia, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, the Roman Catholic Community in Bosnia and Jakob Finci, the Bosnian Jewish Community.
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