09/05/2026
Last night, we were proud to officially launch the Connecting Solidarities exhibition, marking an important moment in celebrating over 30 years of the Derby Bosnia Herzegovina Community Association and the contribution of refugee communities in Derby.
The evening was attended by a large number of guests from across the city, including representatives from local institutions, community organisations, partner agencies, universities, volunteers, supporters, and members of the wider community. We were especially honoured by the presence of His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Elizabeth Fothergill; the High Sheriff of Derbyshire, Syed Iftikhar; Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, Professor Keith McLay; the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Phil Ingall; and the Honorary Consul of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dr Anes Ceric.
We would also like to acknowledge that this important project was led by the University of Derby, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and delivered in partnership with Artcore.
Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, our Centre Manager was unable to attend the event in person. His speech was kindly delivered on his behalf by Ferid Kevric.
The exhibition highlights stories of resilience, survival, solidarity, and community building, while also recognising the importance of welcoming and supporting refugees and displaced people today. It was wonderful to see so many people come together to reflect on these stories and celebrate the contribution refugee communities continue to make to our society.
We are pleased to share that the exhibition will remain open until 22nd May, and we warmly invite anyone who was unable to attend the launch to come and view it during this time.
We would like to sincerely thank everyone who attended and everyone who contributed to making this exhibition possible, including the project partners, researchers, volunteers, artists, participants, funders, and community members who shared their experiences, memories, and support throughout the project.
Thank you all for being part of such a special evening.
Artcore University of Derby Bosnia UK Network
