The fading scent of Serbian tradition

In an effort to attract visitors and buyers to the selling exhibition entitled \'Traditional handicrafts as business gifts\', Ethno Network organized an informal cocktail for business community in the Tourist organization of Serbia, in Belgrade, on February 4, at 2:00p.m.

\'Can you recall Serbian kilims, traditional towels, hand-made lace, doilies, rugs, place mats, aprons, embroidered shirts and gold-thread ornaments? Could we still revitalize these near forgotten techniques used for production of traditional items? Could you picture handicrafts in a modern home or office? Or as a modern item of clothing? Is it possible to bridge traditional and modern? Is tourism offer complete without authentic handicrafts? Would you agree to replace the usual business gifts - lighters, pens or whiskey, with embroidered towels, hand-woven bookmarks, felted place mats and a knitted scarf? Do you think that women in rural areas are capable of weaving a laptop bag? Or even more: could handicrafts generate a stable source of income?\'

During the event, the exhibits complemented by authentic tales, provided answers to above questions, aiming to acquaint guests with traditional techniques and let them know what was granted by the Serbian Tsar Dusan to Hilandar Monastery, display the mittens that used to be knit by men in Eastern Serbia and present the role of a traditional Serbian towel.

Ethno network promotes sales of traditional handicrafts as business gifts aiming to preserve tradition, mobilize rural communities, assist women and youth as vulnerable groups, to create employment in tourism areas and revitalize antique crafts, thus justifying the efforts of Ethno network to provide employment and income generation opportunities to unemployed.

The event was hosted by the state secretary in the Ministry of economy and regional development, Mr. Goran Petkovic who invited the business community to use traditional handicrafts as business gifts. Tales on Serbian tradition were followed