Statue of Bruce Lee in Mostar
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On Saturday, November 26, 2005, the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina unveiled a bronze statue of Bruce Lee. Located in the City Park of "Zrinjski," the life-sized statue stands 1.68 meters tall and is a symbol of solidarity in the ethnically divided city. The statue was the first public monument to Bruce Lee unveiled in the world, with a statue in Hong Kong being revealed one day later marking what would have been the Chinese star's 65th birthday.
The Neretva river runs through Mostar, and divides the city not only geographically but also between two populations of Croats and muslim Bosniaks. The country saw intense warfare during the Bosnian War from 1992-1995 that involved ethnic cleansing and the displacement of 1.8 million refugees.
The project of the statue was spearheaded by the youth group Mostar Urban Movement, who saw the statue as "an attempt to question symbols, old and new, by mixing up high grandeur with mass culture and kung fu." Bruce Lee was chosen by organisers as a symbol of the fight against ethnic divisions. Lee who was an American immigrant and famous martial arts actor, represented to the residents of Mostar a bridging of cultures. "One thing we all have in common is Bruce Lee."[1]
In a city with a reputation for violence, the dynamic movie star was a symbol of "loyalty, skill, friendship and justice." [2]
The unveiling ceremony of the statue saw the attendance of local Bruce Lee fans, representatives of Germany which had bankrolled the project, as well as Chinese officials.[3] Martial arts is popular among the youth population in Herzegovina, especially competitive Mixed Martial Arts where Croatian Mirko Filipović is an international star.
