The 18th All-Serbian Cultural Creativity Assembly of the Fatherland and Diaspora started officially yesterday in Istočna Ilidža, under the slogan Rejoice, the Decorated Wedding Party.

The president of the Organizational Committee of this assembly, Ranko Skakavac, said at the conference that on that day the visitors would be able to enjoy a festival of Republic of Srpska champion guslars from 19:00 at Dr Miodrag Lazić square in Istočna Ilidža.

Skakavac stated that on Friday, 30 August, Trnovo would host an Assembly Evening, including performances by four cultural and artistic societies, a singing society, two guslars, singer Savo Radović, and the Kum Kum Band.

According to him, the Assembly Evening will be held in the Cultural Center, and the program will begin with a prayer in the St George Church, followed by a festival of cultural and artistic societies and a parade.

He recalled that this was the only assembly with thematic tasks and the societies competing for the overall winner had to fulfill three requirements – to write a literary work on the assigned topic, to make a stage presentation of a custom, and to sing in the singing competition part.

Skakavac said that on Saturday, 31 August, there would be a stage display of customs at Dr Miodrag Lazić square, followed by promotion of the book Svaka se ptica po svom glasu poznaje (Every bird is known by its voice) by Dimitrije Golemović.

Skakavac noted that on Sunday, 1 September, a competitive part would be held in the churchyard in Vojkovići, bringing together about 70 societies from the Republic of Srpska, Montenegro and Serbia.

The general sponsor of the Assembly is the municipality of Istočna Ilidža, and the head of this municipality, Marinko Božović, said that for 18 years, this event had been trying to preserve from oblivion Serbian tradition, history, customs and everything characteristic of the Sarajevo-Romania region.

Bojan Bojović, head of the Istočna Ilidža tourist info center, said that on the last day of the Assembly, an info desk would be set up at the churchyard in Vojkovići allowing the visitors to learn about all the potentials and beauties of this municipality, as well as the city of Istočno Sarajevo.

Source and photo: SRNA