Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson made honorary citizen of Bosnia's capital

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — Bosnia’s capital has declared Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson an honorary citizen for the concert the heavy metal band performed while the city was under siege during the 1992-95 war.

Sarajevo Mayor Abdulah Skaka on Saturday presented the award at city hall. He says Iron Maiden’s arrival to the city in 1994 “was one of those moments when we in Sarajevo realized we will survive.”

Saturday was Sarajevo Day, which marks the city’s liberation during World War II and the 1992 start of the Bosnian Serb siege.

Dickinson said “it’s a great honor to be given the honorary citizenship of Sarajevo.” He adds that “in a world where things only last for about five seconds on social media … people are still remembering it, that’s really quite something.”