Serb identity in the territory of today’s Federation of BiH goes back a long way and that is why it is necessary to preserve its roots, said for Srna one of the lecturers within the Serb Identity in BiH project, Boško Branković.

Branković pointed out the fact that today the number of Serbs in FBiH was low in terms of percentage and that for the sake of future generations, it was necessary to pay more attention to the preservation of the Serb cultural and historical heritage in the territory of FBiH.

After the lecture in Drvar, professor Branković said that by forgetting the past, one also lost the future.

The Serb Identity in BiH project is implemented by the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Banja Luka, and supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information of Serbia.

Branković explained that project implementation consisted of a series of lectures throughout the Republic of Srpska and the part of FBiH populated by Serbs today or holding deep roots of existence of the Serb ethnic corps.

Historians, pedagogues, a psychologist, a philologist and a political scientist from the Banja Luka Faculty of Philosophy are participating in project implementation.

So far, the lectures were held in Gacko, Trebinje, Bosanski Petrovac including Drinić-Petrovac, Drvar including Istočni Drvar, and there are plans for Teslić, Banja Luka and, according to Branković, probably Livno.

Two important topics were discussed in Drvar, the first being the struggle of Serbs for church and school autonomy – the struggle for national identity preservation, and the second: the tradition of celebrating Saint Sava in Serbian schools.

‘The lectures were interactive and it is important to note that the attendees from Drvar actively participated through questions, observations and suggestions,’ Branković said.

The project was presented by Marko Aćić; Branković gave a lecture on the struggle of Serbs for church and school autonomy, and professor Slaviša Jenjić on the tradition of celebrating Saint Sava in Serbian schools.

Source and photo: SRNA