Regional felting colony in Sremska Mitrovica
More than 20 women from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina presented the art of making handicrafts using the ancient technique of felting to representatives of the republic's institutions and the international community, during the Diplomatic Day, held as part of the first felting colony held in the Royal Palace in Sremska Mitrovica.
The colony was organized by NALED and Ethno network, in partnership with the BH crafts association, through the project "Together for cultural tourism - Cross-border cooperation for better socio-economic development and preservation of traditional crafts", which is implemented with the support of the EU.
Maja Gojković, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairperson of the Coordinating Body for Gender Equality and Minister of Culture, pointed out that the event is a kind of tribute to national creativity, but also a strong incentive to empower and improve the economic position of women, primarily in rural areas.
"The works of the valuable hands of women will be presented to the visitors, and many examples of this craftsmanship will have the opportunity to be presented not only here but also much more widely, in Europe and the world. This is how we spread and present the wealth, beauty and splendor of folk craftsmanship and our creativity. Although we tend to be more and more fascinated by technological progress and digital content according to new trends, we must never forget the importance of preserving our roots - the cultural heritage that is the identity of a nation and every country. Preservation of cultural heritage is one of the priorities of the cultural policy of the Republic of Serbia. To this end, in addition to the extraordinary cooperation with Ethno network, the Ministry of Culture is also conducting a competition for support projects in the field of protection and modern interpretation of old traditional crafts and their application from this year," said Gojković and added that the importance of the Colony is also confirmed by the European Union's support for this project. to the project.
The Deputy Head of the EU Delegation, Plamena Halacheva, states that Europe is a key destination for cultural tourism and that the EU will continue to support and promote Serbia's cultural heritage.
"We share the same history, culture and, I sincerely hope, a common future. The EU has supported the preservation and reconstruction of numerous objects of Serbian cultural heritage and supports and promotes the individual contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage, celebrating the efforts of individuals to protect their cultural heritage and the identity of their communities and cities. We do this through the recently established "Heritage Hero" award and projects like this one, which, thanks to our Cross-Border Cooperation Program between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, supports at least 60 artisans and craftsmen from 18 municipalities in two countries, all of whom are heritage heroes in their own right," she said.
Canadian Ambassador Giles Norman, holder of the NALED Arrow for supporting the economic empowerment of women and youth through the protection of cultural heritage, stated that the Canada Fund supports the work of Ethno Network on economic empowerment and gender equality through support for craft colonies and miniature exhibitions with the aim of making cultural heritage a factor in local development.
The goal of this colony is to build new bridges of cooperation by creating common handicrafts, stated the president of Ethno network and the executive director of NALED, Violeta Jovanović. She stated that the colony brought together women from the border area of both countries, in order to make pieces with the motifs of our climate that are common to us and that unite us. Jovanović thanked the mayor of Sremska Mitrovica Svetlana Milovanović and the local association "Golden Fleece of Sirmium" for their hospitality and support in the organization of the colony, emphasizing that this is an opportunity to highlight what is common and the most beautiful for both countries.
