For the fifteenth year in a row, Serbia will dedicate the early autumn to the promotion of its exquisite cultural assets and historic treasures within European Heritage Days. The festival will follow the common theme “Heritage and Nature,” with numerous activities dedicated to exploring how our environment influences our lifestyles and lives in general.  

Recognising the multitude of interpretations the theme allows, Serbian cultural organisations, schools, public institutions and associations can highlight synergies between heritage and landscape, heritage and sustainability and heritage and biodiversity, among other aspects. As pointed in the official announcement by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the theme will allow for a variety of subthemes to be opened and a number of aspects to be covered.

This fresh new focus will enable people of all ages to discover the values of their environment, develop a greater understanding of their heritage and take part in some unique cultural activities. In previous years, the institutions such as the Government of Serbia building in Belgrade, Matica Srpska Gallery in Novi Sad, Franciscan Monastery in Bač, Vojvodina, were some of the most attractive sites that opened their doors to European Heritage Days visitors for free. In 2016, Belgrade alone had over 150 free programmes over 12 days, which was an exciting opportunity for visitors to discover the myths and mysteries of this historic capital.

The programme for 2017 is expected to be equally rich in the number of events, some of which have already been announced. Among them, an interesting youth-oriented activity will look to engage children and students in exploring the natural heritage around them.

The initiative aims to enhance youth participation in European Heritage Days and is dedicated to pre-school, primary and secondary-school students in the Grocka neighbourhood in Belgrade. Organised by the Cultural Centre of Grocka, the fine arts contest titled “My environment – cultural heritage and nature” invites the young to present cultural and historic values of their environment through different arts techniques. The best works will be presented in the historic Rančić family house in Grocka during European Heritage Days.

Photo: Rančić Family House, Belgrade - Wikipedia

By involving different audiences and locales, European Heritage Days in Serbia unite histories, cultures and traditions that the country is a home to. With nature in focus for the 2017 events, it will showcase its breath-taking landscapes and geographical diversity to highlight the richness of nature and what it brings to us.