Minister of European Integration and International Cooperation Zlatan Klokić attended the opening of the 28th European Festival of Serbian Diaspora Folklore in Belgrade.

Festival participants included 35 ensembles and more than 2,000 dancers who are preserving Serbian identity far from home through dance, song and tradition.

These days, Belgrade is the capital of Serbian tradition, culture and unity, and folklore remains one of the most important links of our people in the diaspora with their roots.

Folklore is not only dance and song, but also the guardian of our heritage, language, customs and remembrance of our ancestors. We are especially pleased to see young people across Europe not giving up their identity but proudly preserving their Serbian origins.

The Minister of European Integration and International Cooperation of the Republic of Srpska, Zlatan Klokić, stated that the European Festival of Diaspora Folklore in Belgrade was an indicator that nurturing culture and traditions preserved the identity of the Serbian people, which was the most important thing.

Klokić, who attended the ceremonial event opening in Belgrade, noted that Banja Luka had hosted the European Folklore Festival several times and hoped to be chosen again as the place of gathering.

– Banja Luka is always ready, I will not say to be a host, but to be of service, because it is coming among one’s own in both Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, said Klokić.

He noted that the Republic of Srpska had many successful ensembles, choirs and individuals.

– By preserving our culture and traditions, we preserve primarily our identity and present ourselves to the world. Our ensembles and choirs are the best ambassadors of culture, tradition and everything that adorns our people – said Klokić.

He stated that the Ministry he headed had had an exceptional cooperation for years with the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region at the Serbian Foreign Affairs Ministry, and the plan was to jointly organize several events to bring together Serbs from the diaspora and contribute to even better connections.

The organizers of the 28th European Festival of Diaspora Folklore are the Association of Serbian Diaspora Folklore and the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, who invited Minister Klokić to attend the event.

The event gathered 35 cultural and artistic societies from Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Romania, Croatia, Sweden and Italy, who had won the right to participate at qualifying competitions held in their countries.

Source: Ministry of European Integration and International Cooperation – RTRS – SRNA

Photo: Ministry of European Integration and International Cooperation