Bruce Dickinson with his honorary citizen certificate at the city hall in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina (Eldar Emric/AP)
Bosnia’s capital has declared Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson an honorary citizen for the concert he performed while the city was under siege during the 1992-95 war.
Sarajevo mayor Abdulah Skaka presented the award at a ceremony in Sarajevo City Hall, which was badly damaged during the Bosnian Serb siege of the city but has since been restored.
Bruce Dickinson speaks in Sarajevo after he was made an honorary citizen (Eldar Emric/AP)
He said Dickinson’s visit in 1994 “was one of those moments when we in Sarajevo realised we will survive”, that the city of Sarajevo will survive, that Bosnia-Herzegovina will survive”.
Saturday is Sarajevo Day, which marks the city’s liberation during the Second World War and the start in 1992 of the Bosnian Serb siege that killed more than 11,000 people, including 1,600 children.
Dickinson, who also walked through the city centre greeting people and signing autographs, said: “It’s a great honour to be given the honorary citizenship of Sarajevo.
Dickinson poses with his honorary citizen certificate (Eldar Emric/AP)
“In a world where things only last for about five seconds on social media… people are still remembering it. That’s really quite something.
“This is a brilliant day, a lovely day and it’s great to be back.”
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson made honorary citizen of Sarajevo
