The Homeland Assembly, organized by the Manjača Homeland Association from Bukovac and the Union of Krajina Associations from Novi Sad, was held on 25 June 2022 in Selište, Bukovac near Novi Sad. The event was attended by Aleksandar Vulin, Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Miloš Vučević, Mayor of Novi Sad, and Mlađen Cicović, Head of the Republic of Srpska Representative Office in Serbia.

The Homeland Assembly is organized to preserve the tradition and customs of the Serbian people. The Republic of Srpska Representation in Serbia has been supporting this event as its regular program activity for the last eight years.

Cicović pointed out that Serbs, only collected, united and aware of their national identity, could resist the challenges of today’s difficult time in which they lived.

‘Only with a clearly preserved identity will we secure a future for Serbian generations. In the past ten years, Serbia and Srpska have demonstrated their best understanding of what needs to be done in this difficult time, full of all kinds of difficult and unpredictable challenges’, Cicović said.

‘We gathered today to speak our language, sing our songs, rejoice in being together and existing. And all those who think that there are no Serbs and that there is no or there should be no Serbian world, need only come and take a look at us, see these beautiful children of ours, to understand their grave mistake, because there are Serbs and there is a Serbian world. Novi Sad belongs to everyone, this is the city of all Serbs and this is the city of all citizens, regardless of their last name and where they came from’, Vulin said.

The program included participant competitions in scything and sports and knightly disciplines.

Mirko Kecman from Smoljana near Bosanski Petrovac won the main grass scything competition.

The rich cultural and entertainment program included melodist and singer Hadži Nikola Mijović, ethno singer Svetlana Spajić, ethno group Hram, folk guslar Vitomir Vulin, cultural and artistic societies Milica Stojadinović Srpkinja from Bukovac and Petar Prvi Karađorđević from Mrkonjić Grad, sisters Crnomarković, Krajišnici Fruške Gore, and singing group Mladen Stojanović cultural and artistic society from Bački Jarak. The band Sinovi Manjače also participated in the program as a special guest.

Source and photo: Republic of Srpska Representative Office in Serbia