Today, Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina had the chance to welcome some distinguishedguests, and all thanks to the candidature of the city of Sarajevo as the host for aFormula E race in 2020.
A press conference was held in the atrium of the Alta Shopping Center at which the guests – Jean-ÉricVergne, driver of the DS TECHEETAH, and Edmund Chu, Presidentof the team and member of the board of football club Manchester City, gave their support to Mayor AbdulahSkaka and the initiator of the idea Samir Cerić, in their intent to organize the Formula E 2020 race in the capital of our country. The visitors also had a chance to see the DS TECHEETAH car, DS E-Tense FE19, which was brought directly from Paris for this occasion.
Hosting this race would mean much more than a mere sports spectacle for Bosnia and Herzegovina. It would promote the economic and touristic potential of Sarajevo, placing the city on the map, independently from BiH. It would attract new investors and enable fast economic development and the rebirth of the entire region. Apart from this, the coming of some of the world’s largest companies automatically tied to the organization of the Formula E race would bring the creation of new jobs, stimulate the economy and the business climate of the whole country. This and similar events could be a part of the solution of one of the largest problems of our society, which is the departure of young people.
Guests such as Edmund Chu, the Presidentof DS TECHEETAH and member of the board of eight football clubs, including Manchester City, are important in positioning a city with the top metropolises of the world. The potential that these types of events and the people connected to them bring to the table is on a larger scale than the event itself, so it constitutes the possibility of investment into football, basketball, tennis, and other sports. Apart from that, the room for development of thedomestic potential, in terms of technology development, innovation and talent in all creative fields of social activity, is created.
– According to everything I have heard and seen so far, Sarajevo has the potential for big business projects and we are very much interested in investing in the sports and technology sector. If you look at how much the Formula E championship meant for metropolises such as New York, Hong Kong, Paris and many other cities, the importance of this unique platform for the global positioning of Sarajevo is quite evident – said Edmund Chu, President of DS TECHEETAH and board member of Manchester City.
Jean-ÉricVergne, regining Formula E champion, expressed his amazement with the capital of our country, adding that he believes the streets of Sarajevo and the car he drives would be an excellent match and that it would bring him joy if the streets of our capital would make it onto the map of his challenges.
– We want to change the state where all major events are avoiding Sarajevo. We are aware of the amount of work and challenges we have accepted, but I believe that we can do it, and that our city and state deserve to be side by side with the world’s metropolises, – said AbdulahSkaka, mayor of Sarajevo.
Samir Cerić, CEO of Sarajevo Sports International, carried out this idea and vision for Sarajevo with a large amount of confidence, keeping in mind his business success and contacts, as well as the potential of our country and its people. The fact that the representatives of this world championship came to Sarajevo upon his invite, amongst which is also the current world champion of Formula E, speaks volumes about the business credibility of Mr. Cerić and gives confidence for the successful realization of this idea.
