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 died due to heart disease, which was complicated by injuries suffered from a fall at home. An ICTY investigation of Izetbegović was in progress, but it had ended upon his death. There were initiatives 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, but after politicians from Republika Srpska, the international community, and UN envoy Paddy Ashdown objected to these initiatives, they both 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.

Reactions
Following Izetbegović's death, many world leaders were saddened to hear the news, including former US president Bill Clinton, French president Jacques Chirac, Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union Javier Solana, Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, Italian president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Secretary General of NATO George Robertson, Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Croatian president and prime minister Stjepan Mesić and Ivica Račan and many others.

"Today, it seems appropriate for the sky to cry over Bosnia as well."

- High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Paddy Ashdown said in his speech at Izetbegović's funeral during rainfall.