Funeral of Alija Izetbegović
The funeral of Alija Izetbegović, the first Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was held on 22 October 2003, three days after his death on 19 October in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. His funeral drew many Bosnian officials, dignitaries from 44 foreign countries, 105 members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and between 100,000 and 150,000 people, with his family receiving over 4,000 telegrams. Over 400 journalists attended the funeral as it was broadcast live on TV with 37 cameras.
Izetbegović's grave in Sarajevo | |
| Date | 22 October 2003 |
|---|---|
| Location | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Participants | Bosnian officials and dignitaries from 44 foreign countries |
Izetbegović died on 19 October 2003 of heart disease complicated by injuries suffered from a fall at home. An ICTY investigation of Izetbegović was in progress, but ended with his death. Following his death there was an initiative to rename a part of the main street of Sarajevo from Ulica Maršala Tita (Marshal Tito Street) and the Sarajevo International Airport in his honor. Following objections from politicians from Republika Srpska, the international community, and UN envoy Paddy Ashdown, both initiatives failed.
On 11 August 2006, Izetbegović's grave at the Kovači cemetery in Sarajevo was badly damaged by a bomb. The identity of the bomber or bombers has never been determined.