Ethno Network at the Tourism Fair

The Belgrade Tourism Fair is the largest tourist event in the country and Southeast Europe. At the 38th fair which was just closed, the Tourist Organization of Serbia extended Ethno Network with a very unique opportunity to promote its ten-year work by embellishing the souvenir hall with a handicrafts exhibition and workshops in traditional handicraft techniques.

The hall 3A designated to the Souvenir fair was entitled \\\'My Serbia\\\', Ethno Network in cooperation with experts from the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade, organized the exhibition of handicrafts made by women from all over Serbia who were engaged in the project of Public Works in 2015. Handicrafts such as socks knit on five needles from Eastern Serbia, or gold-threaded alphabet crafted in the far south, and felted mats featuring the motifs from Chilandar Monastery and many other hand-made objects were put on display on this occasion. The exhibition was very noticeable and the greatest interest of visitors went to Vojvodinian rugs from Stapar, which on this occasion was first shown at the Fair to the Belgrade audience. In addition to the rugs, a lot of interest was attracted by the framed miniature motifs that are made by women from all over Serbia and the Republic of Srpska as a part of the biennial exhibition \\\'100 women-100 miniatures\\\' that became a tradition of its own within Ethno Network.

During the Fair, Ethno Network in cooperation with the Tourist Organization of Serbia organized workshops in traditional techniques of making handicrafts. On Thursday 18 February, a class was held to present hand embroidery. The theme of this workshop was the alphabet which was once used as a \\\'beinnger’s piece\\\' with the aim of spreading literacy of the population.

On the second day of the fair, a workshop was organized to present felting, i.e. hand-pressed wool. Demonstrators presented visitors with different ways of decorating felted balls which according to historical traditions are considered the oldest