Diplomats visiting the colony in Stapar

Upon two years of successful cooperation between Sombor and Pirot, aided by the national association Ethno Network and the Embassy of Australia, traditional rug making in Stapar has been revitalized. This once renowned traditional brand from Western Backa reclaimed its deserved place in the list of intangible cultural heritage of Serbia and become an essential part of the protocol in the provincial and national government and the National Assembly as a refined diplomatic gift.

These significant achievements were promoted in the closing ceremony of the weavers\\\' colony in Stapar that was visited by the Ambassador of Australia Julia Feeney, ambassadors of Switzerland and the Netherlands Phillip Ge and Henk van den Dol and their wives, as well as the wife of the US Ambassador Nevenka Furjan-Scott and Biagio Carrano, president of the Slow Food association. These distinguished guests were hosted by the mayor of Sombor Dusanka Golubovic in partnership with NALED and Ethno Network and the local community of Stapar presided by Mrs. Ljiljana Djurisic.

- Weaving colonies provide ample opportunity for unemployed women to develop the skills of rug making that can generate income for their families. In this way we can help in creating jobs for thousands of women from all over Serbia and offer authentic products as generators of new tourist attractions. Developed countries recognize the importance of these activities and therefore have the support of foreign embassies in these activities - said H.E. Australian Ambassador Julia Feeney, the patron of Ethno Network.

Production of handicrafts is the second largest source of farm income in the EU. For Serbia to move closer to this result, we need to make our authentic products with geographical indications available to foreigners and tourists which can be done through the opening of ethno gallery in Knez Mihailova in Belgrade and the regional centers.

Ambassadors and other distinguished guests were given a carriage ride through t