The fifth Ozrenians’ Evening was held in Brčko. The native association brings together Serbs who had been expelled from the Ozren area 29 years ago and settled in Brčko after the war. Serbian Government minister Đorđe Milićević also attended the Ozrenians’ Evening.

The native association of Ozrenians preserves tradition, culture and customs, in addition to engaging in humanitarian work and participating in the Paths of the Exodus march commemorating the suffering and persecution of Ozrenians in 1995.

- The association is specific in that the people it gathers suffered in the 90s in Ozren, they were displaced. This is a unique opportunity for them to come together once a year, to remember their culture, their traditions, their customs - said Branislav Marković, Ozrenians’ Native Association Brčko.

About fifteen hundred Ozrenians live in the District area today. Many of them have established themselves in various spheres of Brčko’s social, economic, political, cultural and sports life.

- Year after year, we gather here to revive the memory and recollections of the native land, to preserve what constitutes the culture and identity of the people, its peculiarities in that area, never forgetting the fact that we are part of one and the same people - said Siniša Milić, president of the Brčko District Assembly.

Đorđe Milićević, minister in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, emphasizes the importance of such gatherings.

- First of all, out of respect for the enthusiasm of the association representatives, five years of existence, three hundred members, for the enthusiasm and for what they do and have been doing for the past five years, I mean primarily the remembrance, that is, the remembrance culture, but they also preserve our identity and tradition - said Milićević.

The folklore ensemble of the Association of Ozren and Posavina Serbs from Borovo, Croatia performed at the Ozrenians’ Evening in Brčko.

Source and photo: RTRS