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Strengthening Global Partnerships: MLI Meets with Maryland Office of the Secretary of State and BiH Exchange Council


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On Wednesday, July 30th, the Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) met with key leaders at the Maryland Office of the Secretary of State in Annapolis to explore opportunities for deeper international engagement between Maryland and Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), especially through education, youth empowerment, and post-conflict recovery.


MLI’s Executive Director, Elise Becker, Educational Programs Director, Anne Wooleyhand, and MLI's K9 Ambassador, retired Mine Detection Dog (MDD) Rico, represented MLI for the meeting organized by the Maryland-Bosnia and Herzegovina Exchange Council (MBHEC). The delegation was welcomed by:


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  • Michael Lore, Deputy Secretary of State

  • Rosanna Mantova, Assistant Director of International Affairs

  • Additional members of the Secretary of State’s Office


Adnan Hadrovic, Senior Global Security, International Affairs & Diplomacy Advisor and MBHEC Representative and Evan Daneker spoke to the MBHEC's mission to foster strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening the relationship between Maryland and BiH. MLI highlighted our long-standing humanitarian work in BiH, including the impacts of CHAMPS (Children Against Mines Program) Bosnia, an initiative that fosters student leadership and civic engagement through international exchange. The group also explored the broader involvement of Maryland schools in MLI’s educational and mine-action programs and discussed ways to deepen these connections by expanding people-to-people diplomacy and intercultural dialogue between U.S. and BiH students. MLI also shared details about its upcoming events, including the 2025 Clearing the Path Gala, which will honor a landmine survivor from BiH, and the 30th anniversary commemoration of the Dayton Peace Accord.


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The visit took place in the context of Maryland’s extensive and multifaceted relationship with BiH, which includes a two-decade State Partnership Program (SPP) between the Maryland National Guard and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH). Since 2003, this defense and diplomacy partnership has helped strengthen Bosnia’s military readiness, supported NATO integration efforts, and fostered cooperation in areas like cybersecurity, peacekeeping, and disaster response. This relationship complements the work of civilian organizations like MLI and the MBHEC, amplifying Maryland’s role in global peacebuilding and international collaboration.


A highlight of the meeting was a live demonstration by K9 Ambassador Rico, showcasing how mine detection dogs contribute to post-conflict recovery by helping communities safely reclaim land once contaminated by landmines.


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We’re deeply grateful to our partners at the Maryland-BiH Exchange Council for facilitating this important meeting and extend our sincere thanks to the Maryland Office of the Secretary of State for their time and continued collaboration. Together, we’re clearing the path to peace through diplomacy, youth empowerment, and humanitarian mine action.


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