On the 9th of November 1993, the Stari Most succumbed to intense bombardment by the Croatian Defense Council and collapsed into the Neretva River below. We commemorate the reconstruction of the Stari Most annually on July 23rd. We also celebrate the renewal of the Stari Most daily through our recognition of its significance – architectural, historical, cultural, and symbolic – enacted through our daily meanderings which carry us across the graceful arch as well as through our dedication to sharing this monument with the global community, the members of which visit Mostar and cross our Stari Most in greater numbers each year. 

Remembering the targeted destruction of the Stari Most on November 9th, however, is crucial and not only for the local community. We also remember as a reminder and to raise awareness of the continued widespread destruction of cultural heritage that occurs globally as an act of war. Typically, the destruction of cultural heritage is not accidental, but part of the greater aggression against identity groups and an erasure of these groups’ physical presence on the landscape. That the violent manipulation of cultural heritage continues to occur with alarming regularity highlights the power of the built landscape and its associated meanings. It is this power that compels us to visit heritage sites on our travels, seeking the local understanding of such sites while also sensing first-hand how they can serve to unite despite the diversity which they represent.