Kvirhana is an annual festival of queer art taking place for the second time in Sarajevo and Tuzla. Sarajevo Open Centre and Tuzla Open Centre, as Festival organisers, aim to provide the LGBTIQ community in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a diverse cultural program, a safe space, and a local and recognizable cultural and activist experience.

We also wish to provide space and support to local queer artists and activists and continue to expand the safe public space where LGBTIQ persons can be themselves.

Kvirhana promotes and advocates solidarity, freedom, and equality for the LGBTIQ community and other marginalized groups in our society.

While the everyday safety of the LGBTIQ community in Bosnia and Herzegovina is far from ideal, there have been very few incidents at public cultural events. Queer art festivals (including Kvirhana's predecessors, Merlinka u Sarajevu and Merlinka u Tuzli) have taken place continuously since 2013. The first BiH Pride March happened in Sarajevo in 2019 with thousands of participants and without a single reported incident.

That being said, the organisers have taken care of all the necessary safety measures in coordination with the local police and fire departments, as well as the emergency services, to ensure a safe and fun program for all participants.

Direct violence against LGBTIQ persons is rare. However, traditional patriarchal values are still widely observed in Bosnia and Herzegovina and there is still some way to go until full cultural acceptance. For that reason, we advise against public displays of affection in public places that are not explicitly marked as safe for LGBTIQ persons. Kvirhana Festival organisers have taken extra steps to make sure that all Festival events represent a safe space for all LGBTIQ people.