About the Conference
On the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the Department of Geography at the Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, is organizing a scientific conference entitled:
“Contemporary Geopolitical, Socioeconomic and Demographic Processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Neighboring Countries.”
The Conference will be held on November 20 and 21, 2025, symbolically concluding on the date when the Dayton Peace Agreement was officially initialed three decades ago. This anniversary represents an important milestone for reflecting on the spatial changes that have occurred in the post-Dayton period, as well as for understanding the current social challenges facing Bosnia and Herzegovina and the broader region. In addition to topics focused on Bosnia and Herzegovina and its and the broader region, the Conference also welcomes papers addressing scientific insights from other countries, especially those that can be related to contemporary socio-geographical challenges.
The Department of Geography, through its academic staff, continuously monitors social, territorial, and developmental processes in the country, providing scientific support to both the population and decision-makers in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to better understand and interpret spatial changes. The purpose of the Conference is to foster the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and solution-oriented proposals among scientists, experts, educators, policymakers, and other interested participants.
The goal of the Conference is to bring together experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad whose work focuses on political geography (geopolitical, geostrategic, and other), socioeconomic, and demographic concepts and elements. Discussions and presentations will focus on topics that not only reflect the real challenges of today but also possess significant practical value for various sectors of public activity and planning.
Conference themes include:
- Geopolitical Processes and Challenges
- Administrative–Territorial Structure
- Electoral Geography
- Demographic Processes and Changes
- Migration
- Socioeconomic and Regional Development
- International Cooperation
- Urban–Rural Transformations
The conference will be held at the University of Sarajevo – Faculty of Science (Zmaja od Bosne, 33-35).
Official languages: the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina and English.
Keynote Speakers
Among the invited speakers are:
Prof. Dr. Gerard Toal,
Doc. Dr. Boštjan Rogelj (University of Ljubljana), and
Prof. Dr. Peter Reményi (University of Pécs),
renowned experts in the fields of political geography and regional development.
The Importance of Marking 30 Years Since the Dayton Peace Agreement
The commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement presents an opportunity for scholarly reflection on its significance, impact, and long-term consequences for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina was initialed on November 21, 1995, in Dayton (Ohio, USA), and officially signed on December 14 of the same year in Paris, with the mediation of the international community led by the United States. This agreement marked the end of armed conflict on the territory of the internationally recognized and independent state of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992–1995) and established a complex political framework for the development of new geopolitical and social relations in the post-war period.
The Dayton Agreement confirmed the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its status as an internationally recognized state, but it also established its internal structure based on the existence of two entities – the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska. The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which forms Annex IV of the Dayton Agreement, laid the foundation for a complex administrative and territorial organization, with a multi-layered system of governance and decentralized competences.
Marking this anniversary carries particular importance, as it provides an opportunity for multidisciplinary dialogue on the political, institutional, geopolitical, and social aspects of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s post-war development. It also encourages analysis of the prospects for constitutional reform and strengthening institutional capacities, with the aim of achieving long-term stability, functionality, and inclusivity of the state system.
Therefore, we invite all scholars, experts, lecturers, representatives of the media, political actors, and participants in public discourse from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region, and beyond to contribute with their participation to a critical, interdisciplinary, inclusive, and constructive discussion on contemporary socio-spatial processes in the 30 years after Dayton.