SERDA hosted FABUNIO Association of Hungarian Furniture and Woodworking Industries

The purpose of the peer review visits between the partners of the Danube Wood(s) Route project is to provide an opportunity for mutual evaluation and suggestions for improving the offer along the transnational route and to build a shared understanding/consensus on a high-quality and innovative offer along the transnational forest route.
Within Sarajevo Canton, from the perspective of the project’s thematic focus, the following locations were identified as key destinations with the potential to be part of the transnational cultural forest route: protected natural areas of Sarajevo Canton (Skakavac, Bijambare, Trebević, Vrelo Bosne, and Bentbaša), the Bjelašnica and Igman mountain areas, the Botanical Garden of the National Museum, and the Home of Zanat, whose woodcarving tradition is inscribed on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.

Following the introductory meeting held at the premises of the Sarajevo Regional Development Agency, the SERDA project team and the Hungarian partners visited the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Accompanied by expert curators, the partners were introduced to the oldest scientific and cultural institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a special focus on the Botanical Garden and the Department of Ethnology.
After the museum visit, the partners walked along Wilson's Promenade, where they learned about its origins during the Austro-Hungarian period and its significance to local residents and tourists. This area of Sarajevo hosts various events and is located near several museums and educational institutions.
In the heart of Sarajevo, the partners visited the Home of Zanat, where the SERDA team and Hungarian partners held a meeting with Home of Zana’s staff-always open to conversation and collaboration. Their woodcarving story began over a century ago in Konjic with the Nikšić family and has since evolved into the globally recognized brand ZANAT. Their products combine traditional craftsmanship with modern design, and their showroom, located within the Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina, offers visitors a chance not only to view the collection but also to experience the creation process-learning about the richness of local traditions and modern achievements.

In cooperation with staff from the Cantonal Public Institution for Protected Natural Areas, the delegation toured the Bentbaša Protected Landscape, the youngest of the five protected areas in Sarajevo Canton. The partners were presented with information about the natural and cultural-historical richness of this area. The visit concluded with a stop at its most iconic landmark, the Kozija Ćuprija (Goat’s Bridge) a national monument and the only fully preserved Ottoman-era bridge in the region. Built in the 16th century, it once lay on the road connecting Sarajevo to Istanbul.
The Danube Wood(s) Route project aims to improve the framework conditions for sustainable regional development through the sustainable valorization of natural and cultural resources, using a multi-stakeholder approach.

As a project partner, SERDA, in cooperation with local stakeholders, seeks to contribute to the protection and valorization of the natural, cultural, and other assets of Sarajevo Canton-highlighting their importance for education and research as part of a common culture Danube Wood(s) Route.