Former President of the Republic of Slovenia and Founder and Director of Friends of Western Balkans (FoWB), Borut Pahor, extended his congratulations to Dr. Nedžad Grabus, a member of the FoWB Advisory Board, on October 13, 2026, following his election as Reisul-Ulema of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In his congratulatory letter, Pahor emphasized that Grabus's election represented recognition of his longstanding work, knowledge, wisdom, and dedication. He highlighted their years of cooperation and joint efforts to strengthen mutual understanding, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence.
Pahor particularly recalled Grabus's persistent efforts in the construction of the Islamic Cultural Centre in Ljubljana, which, since its opening in 2020, had become an important religious and cultural venue, as well as a symbol of openness, respect, and coexistence.
He also expressed his appreciation for Dr. Grabus's contribution to Friends of Western Balkans as a member of its Advisory Board. Pahor emphasized that Grabus's knowledge, experience, and standing had made a valuable contribution to the Institute's efforts to promote a more connected, stable, and European future for the Western Balkans. He underlined the importance of dialogue, mutual respect, and a willingness to listen to one another as essential foundations for building trust and cooperation throughout the region.
As Dr. Grabus assumed his new responsibilities, Pahor wished him wisdom, strength, and success. He expressed confidence that Grabus would continue to make a significant contribution to strengthening interfaith dialogue, mutual understanding, and good relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, throughout the Western Balkans, and within the wider international community.
Bivši predsednik republike ter ustanovitelj in direktor zavoda Prijatelji Zahodnega Balkana (Friends of Western Balkans – FoWB) Borut Pahor dr. Nedžadu Grabusu čestital ob izvolitvi za 14. reisul-ulemo Islamske skupnosti v Bosni in Hercegovini.
V čestitki je Pahor poudaril, da je bila Grabusova izvolitev priznanje njegovemu dolgoletnemu delu, znanju, modrosti in predanosti. Ob tem je izpostavil njuno dolgoletno sodelovanje ter skupna prizadevanja za krepitev medsebojnega razumevanja, dialoga in sožitja.
Posebej se je spomnil Grabusovih vztrajnih prizadevanj za izgradnjo Muslimanskega kulturnega centra v Ljubljani, ki je od odprtja leta 2020 postal pomemben verski in kulturni prostor ter simbol odprtosti, spoštovanja in sobivanja.
Pahor je izrazil tudi zadovoljstvo, da je dr. Grabus kot član Svetovalnega odbora FoWB s svojim znanjem, izkušnjami in ugledom prispeval k prizadevanjem zavoda za bolj povezano, stabilno in evropsko prihodnost Zahodnega Balkana. Ob tem je poudaril pomen dialoga, medsebojnega spoštovanja in pripravljenosti prisluhniti drug drugemu kot temeljev za krepitev zaupanja in sodelovanja v regiji.
Ob prevzemu nove odgovorne funkcije je dr. Grabusu zaželel veliko modrosti, moči in uspeha ter izrazil prepričanje, da bo tudi v novi vlogi pomembno prispeval h krepitvi medverskega dialoga, medsebojnega razumevanja in dobrih odnosov v Bosni in Hercegovini, na Zahodnem Balkanu in v širši mednarodni skupnosti.