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, the other in Timișoara.

In the renovated Serbian library in Vienna, which had come back to life after nearly 20 years, a promotion 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, poet, novelist and essayist, as well as an honorary UNESCO ambassador of culture. On behalf of Službeni glasnik, its editor Gordana Milosavljević-Stojanović donated forty books from its latest editions to the Serbian library, thus continuing its long-standing support for Serbian institutions in the diaspora.

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

At the Cultural Centre of the Union of Serbs in Timișoara, in late February, books by Sanja Domazet and Milisav Savić were presented, organised by the Art Press Caravan. “The third, expanded Službeni glasnik edition of Sanja Domazet’s travel essays Cities and the collection of stories and reports gathered in the book Šezdesetosmaš by Milisav Savić, one of the most important contemporary Serbian writers, are examples of literature written in the spirit of the best Serbian writing, founded above all on the richness and beauty of the language,” editor Gordana Milosavljević-Stojanović pointed out.

The guests were greeted by Slavomir Gvozdenović, poet, writer and long-time editor of the magazine Književni život, a member of 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, good books that this publishing house releases.

Sanja Domazet emphasised “that the 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 that.”

Milisav Savić praised the perseverance of the Union of Serbs in Romania in preserving the Serbian language and identity, noting that Timișoara is an important point on the map of Serbian culture. “Many notable Serbs came from these lands; Miloš Crnjanski attended secondary school in Timișoara, and from Arad comes the famous Tekelija family, whose most celebrated 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 latest editions to the Serbian Cultural Centre in Timișoara, thus continuing its long-standing 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.