On Sunday, 1 October 2023, the Serbian Days event was opened in Budapest’s Tekelianum, marking the official beginning of the month of Serbian culture in Hungary.

Before the program started, His Eminence Bishop Lukijan of Buda met in Tekelianum with the President of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, and then with Minister Đorđe Milićević, who is in charge of coordinating measures and activities with the diaspora.

The ceremonial program began with the intoning of the Hungarian and Serbian national anthems, after which the octet of the St Sava School of Theology Belgrade performed the anthem of the Republic of Srpska.

Bishop Lukijan was the first to address the assembly and he thanked especially President Dodik and Minister Milićević for the support offered by our mother countries, Serbia and Republic of Srpska, to the Eparchy of Buda and Serbian community in Hungary. The Bishop emphasized that the goal of this event was to restore Serbian culture in Hungary to its rightful place.

The cultural and artistic program included performances by Mihailo Stevanović, guslar from the Sandić Gusle School from Bijeljina, cultural and artistic society Taban’s female vocal group, St Sava School of Theology Belgrade’s octet, drama artist Vjera Mujović in the role of Princess Ljubica, and Vigad music group.

Minister Đorđe Milićević addressed the gathering on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, conveying support of the Serbian Government to our people in Hungary and expressing his satisfaction over participation in a program that brings together Serbs and promotes Serbian culture in the best possible way.

The President of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, thanked His Eminence Bishop Lukijan for the blessing to establish Serbian Days. President Dodik spoke about the position of the Republic of Srpska, but also about the efforts to preserve Srpska and national identity of our people wherever they are, especially in times like today’s, which are not at all favorable to Serbs. President Dodik noted the importance of spreading the truth about Serbs by nurturing culture and tradition, especially in a country like Hungary, for which he was especially grateful to Prime Minister Orbán.

At the very end of his address, President Dodik officially declared Serbian Days open.

The ceremonial opening of the Serbian culture month was also attended by Željko Budimir, Minister for Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society in the Government of the Republic of Srpska, H.E. Biljana Gutić-Bjelica, BiH Ambassador in Hungary, H.E. Aleksandar Lončarević, charge d’affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia, lieutenant colonel Predrag Zeljković, defense attaché, Svetlana Stanković, consul at the Serbian Embassy, representatives of Serbian Self-Government in Hungary, and numerous visitors.

The evening continued with the opening of the exhibition about Wilhelmina Mina Karadžić by Svetlana Matić from Vienna in the Krug Gallery.

The Serbian Days – Serbian Culture Month event in Hungary is held with the blessing of His Eminence Bishop Lukijan of Buda, organized by the Eparchy of Buda, with the sponsors: Office of the President of the Republic of Srpska and Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, and the partners: Embassy of the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Biljana Gutić-Bjelica, Serbian Self-Government in Hungary, Ljubomir Aleksov, Serbian Member of the Hungarian Parliament, Serbian Theater in Hungary, Krug Association of Artists, Art without Borders Association.

Source: Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Buda

Photo: President of the Republic of Srpska