In the National Theater last night, the Ceremonial Academy was held on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the opening of the WOG '84 in Sarajevo. The ceremony was opened with a screening of a film by the sports program editor of Television BiH, Medina Šehić, in which memories of the 1984 Olympic Games were evoked. The ceremonial academy was attended by holders of public offices of all levels of government in BiH, the president of OC BiH, academician prof. PhD Izet Rađo, vice-presidents of OK BiH Marijan Kvesić and prof. Dr. Milanko Mučibabić, General Secretary of the OC BiH, assistant. Ph.D. Said Fazlagić, Olympians and athletes.

The Mayor of the City of Sarajevo, Benjamina Karić, addressed those present with a welcoming speech and said that the WOG  '84 was a sports spectacle for which our city has become world-famous.

The President of OC BiH, academician prof  Izet Rađo, also addressed those present and the inspiring address of the President of OK BIH is transmitted in its entirety.

"The Olympic flame, despite all the trials, has faithfully illuminated Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina for 40 years, but also the strong vision of the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is powered by the thought of the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin.

Citius, Altius, Fortius, ... Faster, higher, stronger ... as a message to humanity, that the Olympic Flame follows its course through the ages for the benefit of humanity ever more fiery, brave and pure. Each of you has your own recorded memories of the Winter Olympic Games that were held in Sarajevo in 1984.

Many will also remember that deceptive month of February they experienced on this night, looking towards the sky's infinity in search of the desired snowflakes.

The words of the president of the International Olympic Committee, a timeless friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Juan Antonio Samaran, are preserved in memories: "Goodbye, dear Sarajevo!", with thanks for the excellence of organizing the Games.

This is an exceptional opportunity to thank all the people who had the courage and vision to apply and organize the best Olympic Games up to that time.

Citius, Altius, Fortius - Faster, higher, stronger. With the support of our friends from the European Olympic Committee, led by President Dr. Janez Kocijančič, our Olympic family grew in those years, wanting to once again illuminate Sarajevo and East Sarajevo with the Olympic flame with the European Youth Olympic Games.

When we share a common vision, anything is possible. In 2019, the flame of peace illuminated our Olympic mountains. I would like to ask you to imagine for a moment the beauty of the abundance of daring youth that lined the streets of Sarajevo, along the squares, parks and the uniqueness of their emotions, which they used to record those years in our Sarajevo and East Sarajevo.

Their youth as a strength, as a consolation, in this time of trials for humanity, with all our hopes that they too will create only good, not forgetting the lesson of Pierre de Coubertin, that it is not only important to win, but also to participate. How the important thing in life is not only the triumph, but also the struggle, how the essential thing is not to win but to fight for the good because only by multiplying these principles is it possible to build a stronger and braver and above all, a more generous humanity.

Citius, Altius, Fortius - faster, higher, stronger.

Dr. Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee tells us:

"Only by joining hands in partnership can we truly live our new Olympic motto faster, more, stronger, but also together!"

We are together tonight. The timeless Olympic flame and us, and in us the desire for our Olympic mountains, for our Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will rewrite its Olympic story on the cover of its book about Olympism with the title - YOG, Youth Olympic Games in 2032.

I want to believe that this is also your desire, the desire to restore the Olympic venues, the desire for the Olympic flame that will once again illuminate Sarajevo, the love, happiness and youth of those sportsmen and women who will experience all the uniqueness of our Olympic mountains.

And if we don't make a bold new Olympic leap in ten years, we will be more disappointed by what we haven't done than by what we have done.

Therefore, it is essential to constantly set sail from the port of life, because only that act allows us to set sail for the worldly sea where our vision awaits us, and our vision is to write the name of our Sarajevo and East Sarajevo as well as the name - YOG, World Youth Olympic Games in 2032.

Our Sarajevo is like that! A city that does not forget its past, a city that preserves its present, a city that thinks about its future.

Allow me to end with the words of the Sarajevo poet Izet Kika Sarajlić about our Sarajevo.

"This is a city where I may not have been the happiest, but where it rains when it falls - it's not just rain..."

Thomas Bach, the president of the IOC, also spoke in a video message and pointed out that this anniversary is an emotional moment for the entire Olympic movement.

"Because throughout the long and often stormy history of Sarajevo, you have experienced a whole range of human emotions. From the great joy and hope that only sport can give us, to the pain and suffering of war. But most importantly, the legacy of the 1984 Sarajevo Olympic Games represents the strength of sport in overcoming the scourge of war and gives us hope and strength to shape a better future," said Bach.

During the ceremony, the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, the Chairman of the Presidency of BiH Željko Komšić, the President of the of the Organizing committee of Celebration the WOG Sarajevo '84 Jasmin Ademović, the Minister of Culture and Sports of the Canton of Sarajevo Kenan Magoda, the first adviser to the President of the IOC Pere Miro and the silver medalist at the ZOI '84 Jure Franco also spoke. 

As part of the Formal Academy, the premiere of the ballet classic Bolero, composed by Maurice Ravel, was performed, choreographed by Takuya Sumitomo and accompanied by the Sarajevo Philharmonic, conducted by maestro Vesna Shouc.