The presentation of the Republic of Srpska at this year’s International Belgrade Book Fair was excellent, and Srpska’s stand stood out as a meeting place for lovers of good books with new editions and at the same time a place for the exchange of ideas and experiences of writers and science professionals, said the Head of the Srpska Representative Office in Serbia, Mlađen Cicović. He stated that 34 publishers, 78 authors, 109 editions had been presented, and more than a hundred speakers had participated in this year’s promotions. Cicović noted in particular the traditional gathering of poets at the Republic of Srpska stand, which brought together 32 poets from Serbia, Montenegro and Srpska this year and was the only one of its kind at the Fair.

‘We presented everything that was published between the two fairs. Our stand was a meeting address, an address where we analysed the present and the past, but also an address where we discussed with the visitors everything that we should do in the coming period on the presentation of the Republic of Srpska’, said Cicović.

The International Belgrade Book Fair included a meeting where writers, authors and publishers of the diaspora and the region from 11 countries of the European and American continents presented their works, and the Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region, Arnaud Gouillon, said that their contribution to culture was great and that they were a bridge connecting the motherland with the world.

The Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region gathers writers, authors of literary works, representatives of associations from the diaspora and the region with their publishing activities, whose artistic creation contributes to the development of Serbian culture. Gouillon explained that representatives from the 11 countries included those coming from Canada, France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria, and those from the region represented Hungary, Slovenia, Macedonia and Romania. Gouillon also stated that there were many of our writers in the diaspora who published books in foreign languages, which, according to him, was significant, because they thus introduced Serbian culture to foreigners.

Due to the fact that France is the guest of honour at this year’s Fair, the President of the Federation of French Serbs and representative of the Mondo Kult Association, Petar Gojković, as the host of the meeting, said that it was very significant that Serbian writers from the diaspora once again had the opportunity to present their creativity contributing to the development of Serbian culture, and that they were a bridge between the motherland and more than 150 countries in which they lived. Presentations included Srpski Venac from Hungary, Association of Serbian Writers from Switzerland, members of Fokus Integration Society from Vienna.

Source: SRNA – Radio Television of Serbia – Tanjug – Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region

Photo: Republic of Srpska Representative Office in Serbia