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Peace and academic freedom as the foundation and necessary part of a democratic society. This is not only the principle behind the Student´s  Peace Declaration, which was signed together with representatives from more than a hundred universities from all over Europe by students of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (UWB) in Sarajevo in mid-September. In addition to individual students, representatives of embassies, the BiH Cabinet of Ministers, and representatives of foreign universities, including the leadership of the EUPeace alliance, as well as the local University of Sarajevo, whose Student Parliament was the first initiator of the Declaration, were on hand. Although the content of the Declaration is not legally binding, it is an important symbolic statement by the students. Each university took a copy of the Declaration to their alma mater at the end.

"Sarajevo, a city once torn apart by war, stands today as a powerful symbol of resilience and reconciliation. The Student´s Peace Declaration, created by young voices committed to harmony, reflects Sarajevo's message that peace must be protected and nurtured through dialogue and empathy. Together, Sarajevo and the Declaration remind us that peace begins with education, courage and the will to unite across differences," said Imran Pašalić, President of the Student Parliament of the University of Sarajevo.

Matěj Líbal, Secretary of the Student Chamber of the Academic Senate of UWB, and Lenka Pekárková from the Departement of the Vice-Rector for Educational Planning and Student Affairs arrived to sign the Declaration on behalf of the administrative staff. According to Matěj Líbal, the Declaration emphasizes peace and academic freedom as the fundamental pillars not only of democracy but also of the university environment. The event was an appeal to universities and students to actively protect the space for free thinking and education. Sarajevo was chosen as a city of resilience and reconciliation, which underlined the message of the event. The main aim was to connect students across Europe and strengthen their role in peace initiatives.

"Words cannot describe how important peace actually is. When I was your age, the war started. I was supposed to start my first year at university and instead I joined the army and I didn't know if I would live to see another day. And I wasn't the only one. My entire generation is scarred by the war, including the Secretary of State here, a good friend of mine from the fighting. I sometimes say that living through war is like living through a disease. It is hard to explain to someone who has never been sick how great and important it is to be healthy," said Tarik Zaimović, Rector of the University of Sarajevo, in his opening speech.

The signing ceremony was part of the conference of the EUPeace university alliance, to which UWB in Pilsen belongs, which took place from 15 to 18 September. The first nine signatory universities belong to the EUPeace alliance and are thus committed to greater cooperation at the administrative, academic and technical levels.