The tenth Days of Srpska in Serbia were solemnly opened last night in Belgrade.

The ceremony was attended by the highest representatives of Srpska and Serbia, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, ministers of the two governments, army and police generals, academicians, prominent artists and businessmen.

The event was officially opened by an appropriate oration of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska, Radovan Višković.

Višković pointed out that since 2013, the aim of this event had been to strengthen the ties between the Serbian people on both sides of the Drina, and primarily those related to establishing connections, be they in business, science or culture.

– It is a great pleasure for me that tonight, here in Belgrade, in the temple of Serbian culture, we are ceremoniously opening the tenth edition of the Days of Srpska in Serbia, a unique event that thus also confirms Serbian unity. In the next six days, various cultural contents, tourist sites and natural beauty, as well as investment opportunities of the Republic of Srpska will be presented in 10 cities across Serbia – Višković said.

The prime minister noted that Serbia was the most important partner of the Republic of Srpska, but, above all, a friend and ally.

– Need it be noted that our largest foreign trade partner, but also investor, is Serbia, with total investments of as much as two billion and 140 million BAM. It is often said that there are no friendships in politics and international relations, only interests. The Republic of Srpska and Serbia prove exactly the opposite – a sincere unity, friendship and partnership that endure and will endure as long as the Serbian people – emphasized Višković.

Patriarch Porfirije blessed the Srpska Days in Serbia, saying that Serbs needed to be united wherever they lived and to build the future by following the testament left by the blessedly reposed Serbian Patriarch Pavle – Let us be human.

Patriarch Porfirije expressed his satisfaction with the tonight’s gathering in Belgrade, recalling that the Republic of Srpska, which he called the youngest sister of Nemanja’s Raška, had been born on the historical native land of Tvrtko I and received the name Srpska at the time of the immortal patriarchate of the successor of Saint Sava and his own unmatched predecessor, Patriarch Pavle who had lived what he had taught others – to be human.

– This light-bearing thread connected us tonight and brought us into a unity which shows the beauty of God’s gifts and diversity. It is a bequest and a sacred obligation of each one of us, Serbs, no matter where and with whom we live, and above all here in our native areas – said the patriarch.

The President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Vladimir Orlić, said that during the Days of Srpska in Serbia, essentially everyone was the host because everyone was at home there, stressing that harmony, unity, brotherly love and closeness were indisputable.

He noted that this produced significant cooperation to the benefit and pride of our one and only nation.

– And this event, which has already become traditional, is an outstanding example of cooperation, and this year we have a jubilee. It connects further our cities, municipalities, people, strengthens the ties of the people on both sides of the Drina – said Orlić.

The Head of the Republic of Srpska Representative Office in Serbia, Mlađen Cicović, said that this event, in addition to presenting Srpska to Serbia, intended to contribute to fostering Serbian unity, preserving Serbian language and script, religion and traditional values.

Cicović stated that these values were love for the close ones, tolerance for neighbors, recognition of Serbian national interests in culture and science, business and politics.

He pointed out that this event made the already never better cooperation between the Republic of Srpska and Serbia seem even more visible and abundant in its own way in the joy of the unity of the Serbian people on both sides of the Drina.

Today, on the second day of the 10th Srpska Days in Serbia, a part of the rich and varied program will be presented to the audience in Kragujevac and Kruševac, and a roundtable on the identity and unique cultural space of the Republic of Srpska will be held in Belgrade, with the participation of the line ministers of Srpska and Serbia.

Today at 10:00 in Belgrade, a roundtable on Identity: language, art, culture – The uniqueness of the cultural space of the Republic of Srpska and Serbia will be held at the University of Arts, with the participation of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Srpska, Natalija Trivić, and Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia, Branko Ružić, as well as representatives of culture and art institutions of Srpska and Serbia.

The animated documentary Uprising will be screening at the same place at 13:00, announced the Republic of Srpska Representation in Serbia.

The presentation of tourism products of the Republic of Srpska will continue from 12:00 to 21:00 in Knez Mihailova Street near the Belgrade Cultural Center.

In the Princely Serbian Theater in Kragujevac at 20:00, Bijeljina’s City Theater Semberija will perform the play A Comedy with a Developmental Disability.

Prior to that, at 18:00, a Republic of Srpska delegation consisting of the assistant minister of culture of the Republic of Srpska, Tanja Đaković, and associate for development and improvement of cooperation in education, culture and art at the Republic of Srpska Representation, Borislav Maksimović, will speak with representatives of the city of Kragujevac.

The Pale Student Theater will perform The 186th Step in Kruševac Theater at 20:00, and before that, at 18:00, representatives of the Republic of Srpska Representation in Serbia will speak with the assistant mayor of Kruševac for social activities, Jelena Todorović.

The program of the 10th anniversary Days of Srpska in Serbia continues on Saturday in Kraljevo, and in the following days also in Vranje, Čačak, Zrenjanin, Niš, Subotica and Novi Sad.

Source: RTRS-SRNA

Photo: Ministry of European Integration and International Cooperation