The Festival of Children’s Folklore Ensembles of Austria was held in front of several thousand people in Vienna last weekend. Children’s, youth and mixed ensembles with over 750 participants performed in the competition and non-competition part of the program. Eleven cultural, artistic and educational societies from Austria were present.

The ceremonial opening of the event was attended by the Minister without portfolio in charge of coordinating activities and measures in the field of relations between the Republic of Serbia and the diaspora, Đorđe Milićević, Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region, Arnaud Gouillon, President of the Austria-Serbia Friendship Parliamentary Group in the Austrian federal Parliament, Gudrun Kugler, President of the Viennese district of Margareten, Silvia Janković, envoy of the City of Vienna’s Integration and Diversity Magistrate Department, Goran Novaković, and many other representatives of societies and institutions.

The Minister without portfolio in the Government of the Republic of Serbia in charge of coordinating the activities and measures of the Republic of Serbia in the field of relations with the diaspora, Đorđe Milićević, opened the Festival of Children’s Folklore Ensembles of Austria.

On that occasion, Milićević thanked the President of the Austrian Association of Serbian Folklore, Aleksandar Saša Stanković, for dedicated work and his efforts invested in preserving and promoting our rich cultural heritage.

It is very important that there is an umbrella organization such as the Austrian Association of Serbian Folklore, which brings together our folklore societies so that the diaspora can work together towards achieving the main goals – preservation of Serbian identity, language, culture and tradition throughout Austria. Be united, because our strength lies precisely in our unity and harmony, Milićević said.

The Minister also met with representatives of Viennese diaspora associations and discussed development of a future strategy of motherland-diaspora relations and new law on Serbs in the diaspora and the region.

Source: Government of the Republic of Serbia – Rasejanje.info

Photo: ASSF