The event was organized in partnership between the Embassy of Japan in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Paralympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the premises of the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, July 18, 2019, a formal reception was held on the occasion of the year leading up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The event was organized in partnership between the Embassy of Japan in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Paralympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Among the numerous guests were the Ambassadors of France, Greece and Brazil, representatives of the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Olympians and top athletes of BiH, and presidents and general secretaries of professional sports federations of BiH.

The 365-day commemoration program until Tokyo 2020 was opened with a short video showing the relay transmission of the Olympic flame, with a welcome speech by prof.dr. Izet Radjo, President of the BiH Olympic Committee.

In his speech, the President of the OC BiH introduced the work of the Olympic Committee of BiH in the preparation of BiH athletes for the Olympic Games, which is reflected in the scholarships of over 20 potential candidates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, of which three athletes receive regular scholarships additional support in order to achieve the best possible result at the Olympic Games and win the long-awaited Olympic medal for Bosnia and Herzegovina. With heartfelt wishes for achieving eminent results, the athletes were instructed to achieve their dreams and goals in the spirit of Olympic values.

The event was followed by a series of videos, and the audience was addressed by prof.dr. Mirsad Muftić, President of the Union of Paraplegics, Ambassador of Japan HE Hideyuki Sakamoto, Mr. Ivica Šarić, Deputy Mayor of Sarajevo, and Olympians Mesud Pezer and Larisa Cerić.

Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Sakamoto thanked the BiH Olympic Committee, the BiH Paralympic Committee, government officials and Toyota, which is the general sponsor of the BiH Olympic Committee, and the sponsor of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be the second Olympic Games to be held again after 56 years in this city. The Ambassador of Japan pointed out that the two Olympic cities, Sarajevo and Tokyo, are historically connected, with sincere wishes that the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will contribute to this connection.

Olympian Mesud Pezer, and our most trophy-winning athlete Larisa Cerić, thanked the BiH Olympic Committee for its support to top BiH athletes, emphasizing that the BiH authorities should emulate the BiH Olympic Committee.

The ending of the event was crowned with a karate demonstration by young athletes, making karate one of the five new sports at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.