On July 30th, The Maryland-Bosnia and Herzegovina Exchange Council (MBHEC) attended a joint meeting at Maryland’s Office of the Secretary of State in Annapolis, strengthening MBHEC’s facilitation of bilateral exchange programs between Maryland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The meeting, initiated by MBHEC, brought together representatives from the Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI)—a nonprofit organization which trains and delivers mine detection dogs to mine-afflicted countries worldwide—and Maryland’s Deputy Secretary of State Michael Lore, to discuss Maryland’s future participation in facilitating de-mining operations worldwide.
The meeting opened with a de-mining demonstration from MLI’s canine representative Rico, a semi-retired mine detection dog who served six-years in landmine detection operations across Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the demonstration, Deputy Secretary of State Lore expressed his heartfelt support for MLI’s mission and his commitment to assisting MLI in expanding awareness about unexploded ordinance-detection across Maryland schools and institutions.
MBHEC similarly connected with Deputy Secretary of State Lore during the meeting, discussing future exchange opportunities between the Maryland and Bosnia and Herzegovina private sectors and the potential for mutually beneficial economic programs. MBHEC also reached agreements with Deputy Secretary Lore on potential avenues for government-level international initiatives as well, affirming Maryland’s desire to deepen ties with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The discussions demonstrated Maryland’s continued enthusiasm for promoting high-impact humanitarian efforts abroad while also strengthening bilateral economic and social exchange opportunities with Bosnia and Herzegovina domestically. The meeting emphasized Maryland’s long-standing support of Bosnia and Herzegovina; MBHEC plans to continue this dialogue with nonprofit organizations and the Maryland Office of the Secretary of State, looking towards a bright future of meaningful, bilateral, and mutually beneficial exchange and collaboration between Maryland and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
