As we mark the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement, this conference organised by the Clingendael Institute together with The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) and The BiH-NL Thinktank seeks to reflect on the legacy of the agreement, its impact on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and the challenges that lie ahead. While the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) successfully ended a devastating aggression on BiH, they also left behind a complex political framework that has, in many ways, frozen political divisions and hindered democratic progress.
Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina stands at a critical crossroads. On the one hand, the country’s EU accession process has guided the country’s path from post-conflict stability to a functional democracy, aiming at a transformation of political culture, institutional resilience, and public trust. But at the same time, Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to be governed along ethnic fault lines, with political actors questioning the basic premises of the Dayton agreement up to the point where continued stability and (regional) security is under question.
This conference explores the complex dynamics of peacebuilding, governance reform, and citizen engagement, examining the role of international actors, domestic elites, and civil society in shaping the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Through two focused panels, we aim to identify practical pathways for reform, build connections between political actors and civil society, and explore the potential for a renewed social contract – one that can redefine the relationship between the state and its citizens, fosters democratic resilience and supports Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European Union accession path.
Preliminary Programme
09.30 – 10.00 | Opening session
- Welcome by Wouter Zweers, Clingendael Institute
- Introduction by Alden Pervan and Šeila Akagić, BiH-NL Thinktank
- Keynote by H.E. Almir Šahović, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the
Netherlands - Moderated by Wouter Zweers, Clingendael Institute
10.00 – 11.15 | Panel 1: 30 years of peace, 30 years of deadlock? What has Dayton
delivered, and what comes next?
This panel delves into Bosnia’s political and constitutional achievements and challenges,
potential reforms and the influence of outside actors with a special focus on the
European Union.
- Jasmin Mujanović, New Lines Institute’s Western Balkans Center
- Tineke Strik, Member of European Parliament
- Maja Sahadžić, University of Utrecht
- Netherlands’ Ministry of Defence representative (name tbc)
This session is moderated by Wouter Zweers, Clingendael Institute
11.15 – 11.45 | Livestream break
11.45 – 13.00 | Panel 2: Democracy in Action: EU integration, the rule of law and civic
empowerment
This panel focuses on citizen engagement, community resilience, environmental
activism as a unifying force, institutional reforms, and the role of the EU as a driver of
democratic change.
- Srđan Blagovčanin, Transparency International BiH
- Azra Berbić, ACT BiH
- Sanja Ramić, BiH NL thinktank
- Marjolein Koster, independent journalist
This session is moderated by Laura Jasper, HCSS strategic analyst
13.00-13.15 | Concluding keynote: H.E. Henk van den Dool, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Event Details
- Date: 21 November 2025
- Time: 09.00 – 14.30
- Location: The Clingendael Institute in The Hague, The Netherlands and online
The conference at location is only on invitation.
The livestream is public for all. Register to watch the livestream: Livestream 21 11 2025 From Dayton to Brussels | Clingendael
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