4th weavers’ colony in Stara Planina

4th weavers’ colony in Stara Planina was organized from July 8-11 with the support of the cities of Pirot and Sombor and the embassies of Canada and the United States, as well as the international community. The colony has become a regular annual practice that offers an opportunity to improve knowledge and draw attention to the importance of preserving cultural heritage and economic empowerment of women. The aim of the weavers’ colonies is to preserve the kilims from Pirot and Stapar as a national brand that are used in state protocol as gifst for foreign officials.

This colony brought together skilled weavers from Sombor, Pancevo, Kladovo, Negotin, Bela Palanka, Sabac, Cacak, Krusevac, Leskovac, Indjija, Novi Pazar and Belgrade, who by participating in the colony are given the opportunity to improve their knowledge through lectures by ethnologists and design experts and to compete in the practical part in making pieces with motifs from Pirot kilims. The participants consider this opportunity to work in the colony as recognition for the weavers of Ethno Network who are given the opportunity to get to know the place where they are staying through organized tours and participation in the life of the local community. Slobodan Mitrovic, a promising young designer from Bela Palanka, skilled in weaving as a rising star of Ethno Network, also participated in this year’s colony.

The host of the colony was the local crafts coop “Damsko srce”, led by its director, Slavica Ciric, who is an example of dedication and high standards exerted throughly in preservation of kilim weaving in Serbia. The women gathered in the colony, as well as all the women from Ethno Network, do a very important job for the whole society as guardians of our tradition, authenticity and identity. The colonies are also a testament that tradition and heritage can be a pillar of local development, such as the examples of Pirot and Sombor that brand their communities through cultural, tourist and gastronomic offer.

Art contest organized annually within the colony contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage and helps children and youth as well as their families and teachers get better acquainted with the traditions of our country. The contest was aimed at children of preschool age, as well as high school and elementary school students and distinguished guests from the diplomatic corps awarded certificates to students whose works were rated as the best:

Jana Jovanović, kindergarten Crvenkapa

Dana Čolić, 2. grade, elementary school Vuk Karadžić

Tamara Todorović, 3. grade, elementary school Dušan Radović

Anđela Mladenović, 6. grade, elementary school 8.septembar

Đorđe Džonić, 6. grade, elementary school 8. Septembar

 

Participants, guests and diplomats found this program as extremely successful and interesting. Moreover, they expressed willingness to return to Pirot and said they would recommen the spot to all of their friends.

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