Along the roads of the Serbian diaspora

At the beginning of the year, the Art Press Caravan launched the project “Along the roads of the Serbian diaspora”, and on that occasion, in February, it visited two Serbian cultural centres — one in Vienna and the other in Timișoara.

In the renovated Serbian library in Vienna, which has come back to life after almost 20 years, a launch was held for the book “Cities” (Gradovi) by Sanja Domazet, published by Službeni Glasnik. The author of this book is a journalist, a professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, a playwright, a poet, a novelist and an essayist, as well as an honorary UNESCO ambassador of culture. On behalf of Službeni Glasnik, its editor Gordana Milosavljević-Stojanović donated forty books from their most recent editions to the Serbian library, thus continuing many years of support for Serbian institutions in the diaspora.

The book launch was attended, alongside members of the Art Press Caravan, by the Serbian ambassador to Vienna, Pero Janković, who stressed the importance of Glasnik’s donation, adding that the support of the largest Serbian publishers for cultural workers in the diaspora helps to preserve the language and culture. Milorad Mateović, president of the Serbian Centre, through whose efforts the library was restored, gave thanks for the gift, saying that there is interest within our diaspora for good and valuable books in the mother tongue, and that he hopes other Serbian publishers will follow Glasnik’s example. The guests were also welcomed by the host and organiser of the programme, Borisav Kapetanović, president of the Community of Serbian Clubs in Vienna, who emphasised the importance of such gatherings and launches.

At the Cultural Centre of the Union of Serbs in Timișoara, at the end of February, the Art Press Caravan presented the books of Sanja Domazet and Milisav Savić. “The third expanded edition of Službeni Glasnik’s travel essays Cities by Sanja Domazet, and the collection of stories and reportage gathered in the book Šezdesetosmaš (The Sixty-Eighter) by Milisav Savić, one of the most important contemporary Serbian writers, are examples of literature written in the spirit of the best Serbian writing, which is based above all on the richness and beauty of the language,” emphasised editor Gordana Milosavljević-Stojanović.

The guests were welcomed by Slavomir Gvozdenović, a poet, writer and long-time editor of the journal Književni život (Literary Life), a deputy in the Romanian Parliament and one of the most active members of the Union of Serbs in Romania. He thanked Službeni Glasnik for its continuous support of the diaspora and for the valuable and good books this publishing house produces.

Sanja Domazet stressed “that those peoples who lose their language disappear, and so it is very important that the language be preserved and nurtured not only in the homeland but also in the diaspora. Literary encounters and conversations between writers and readers contribute to this.”

Milisav Savić praised the perseverance of the Union of Serbs in Romania in preserving the Serbian language and identity, pointing out that Timișoara is an important point on the map of Serbian culture. “Many notable Serbs came from these parts; in Timișoara Miloš Crnjanski attended the gymnasium, and from Arad comes the famous Tekelija family, whose most renowned member is our first doctor of law, Sava Tekelija. Although the Serbian community in the Romanian part of the Banat is small today, its history and significance for Serbian culture are immeasurable, and it is important that this tradition be preserved.”

Službeni Glasnik donated its most recent editions to the Serbian Cultural Centre in Timișoara, thus continuing its many years of support for Serbian institutions in the diaspora.

The next stop of the Art Press Caravan along the roads of the Serbian diaspora is Pula, where the Days of Serbian Culture are held at the end of April.