SERBIAN MONTH 2018

Serbian Month in Great Britain 2018
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary

London, Reading, Halifax, Corby, Leicester, Bedfrod, Birmingham, Peterborough and Tunbridge Wells

We are very proud of the journey we have been on over the last decade when we look back to the beginning, that first Serbian Week in Great Britain held in Leeds and London in 2008.

What started with a few events in 2008, has grown from year to year to become Serbian Month with over thirty impressive events held in numerous towns around Britain. Over the last decade Serbian Month has taken place in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Reading, Birmingham, Norwich, Halifax, York, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Brighton, Tunbridge Wells, Forest Row, Maidenhead, Leamington Spa, Bedford, Corby, Leicester, Peterborough.

Serbian Month was initiated by three organisations (Serbian Council of Great Britain, Serbian City Club and Serbian Society) and over time it has caught the imagination of over thirty organisations, numerous individuals, and the Serbian government, all of whom joined this celebration of Serbian culture, heritage and its contribution to British society.

Now Serbian Month is viewed as the biggest Serbian festival of its kind worldwide. This is a great achievement of the Serbian Diaspora in Britain and is proof of our creativity and our ability to work together for the good of the community.

To celebrate and commemorate the tenth anniversary of Serbian Month in Great Britain a special catalogue was published. This publication featured not only lists of events, but also information on Serbian organisations in Britain, as well as those working with Serbia, online communities and publications for British Serbs, and artists of Serbian origin living and working in Britain.

We know that we have only scratched the surface with this publication and we hope to build on it in future years, but it shows the richness and diversity of the Serbian community in Britain and the significant contribution it makes to British society.

We would like to extend special thanks to Alletsons Solicitors and Goran Vučićević as well as Bozholidays for sponsoring this manifestation.

Opening of the tenth Serbian Month took place at the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia with Holocaust Memorial Day organised by Jasenovac and Holocaust Memorial Foundation to include a lecture with an exhibition. Serbian Embassy gave full support to the Serbian Month over the last ten years and there were two more events held in their premises: An evening with Author Maja Herman Sekulić organised by Association of Serbian Writers and Artists Abroad followed by concert by harpists from Mokranjac Music School Belgrade: Marija Zoroja, Minja Stojanovic and Marko Brkic taking place on 9^th Feb. Also artist Marko Ilic, was presented by Contemporary Balkan Art in Conversation with Ana Russell-Omaljev on 22^nd Feb.

First week of the Serbian Month was dedicated to celebration of St Sava that took place in nine towns around UK: London, Reading, Birmingham, Halifax, Bedford, Corby, Leicester, Petrborough and Tunbridge Wells. Programme followed with launching of the ‘Around the Globe Music & Arts’ that continues their mission in presenting contemporary composers. Star guests included composers Vera Milanković and Lola Perrin, renowned pianist Olga Dudnik performing Aleksandar’s Vujic ‘Jewish Suite’ and actress Vesna Stanojević. Serbian actors Milan Gutovic, Nebojsa Dugalic and Miljan Prljeta brought theatre play ‘Art’, while vocal ensemble ‘Constantine’ from Nis was touring at Leicester, Birmingham, London and Corby. Further on music events included classical concerts by pianist Mina Miletic as well as an evening of Serbian, Armenian and Bulgarian music with pianist Natasa Sarcevic, violinists Madlen Stokic-Vasiljevic and Tatvik Khachatryan and cellist Joseph Spooner. A dance theatre HILT directed and choreographed by Milica (Mil) Vukovic Smart was part of Resolution 2018 festival, while Folklore Ensamble St Eliah from Corby made sure that our tradition is still on its feet dancing.

Apart of regular gathering by Serbian City Club, special evening called ‘Belgrade Party’ was dedicated in memory of the pioneers of cultural life of the Serbian Community in UK, Gordana Miller, Miki Stoiljkovic and Pale Brozicevic that are unfortunately not with us anymore. The Circle of Serbian Sisters ’Kosovo Maiden’ in London treated us to a Bake Sale, while book lovers had their own treat at Mini Book Fair organised by the Serbian Library and Istros Booksat which several authors were presented. Marko Gasic presented the guest author John Zametica’s book Folly and Malice about role of Serbia in WW1. The other book launch, Death’s Sting: Duplicity and Deceit in the Balkans by Ewen Southby-Tailyour, co-hosted by the St Sava Parish and the Serbian Council of Great Britain, took place at Serbian Church in London where Zvezdana Popović also held a Memorial Service and lecture for women in foreign medical missions in Serbia during WW1. The St Sava Parish also hosted an exhibition of Artography by Svetislav Savić organised by the Serbian Society, while an event to discuss the book An Introduction to Serbian performing Arts Education: Critical Insight was held at UCL with the authors Evangelos Himonides and Vera Milanković.

The biggest event was definitely final celebration of the 10^th anniversary, The Round Table Serbian Fair sponsored by Alletsons Solicitors and organised by the Serbian Council of Great Britain. This one day event was the culmination of the celebrations of Serbian Month 2018, an opportunity for all Serbian organisations or those working with Serbia to present their work to the Serbian community and the wider British public. It showed the talent, diversity and richness of our community and the positive contribution we make to British society. The event included Round Table Meeting, various music performances and a British Serbs Have Talentcontest. This important anniversary was celebrated with a rousing concert by Paprika performing Balkan music.

Sponsors:

Alletsons Solicitors

Bozholidays

SOKOJ

VECO

Publicity links:

Announcing the Tenth Anniversary Serbian Month

http://www.britic.co.uk/2018/01/21/announcing-the-tenth-anniversary-serbian-month/

Serbian Month starts with memorial to WW2 victims of genocide http://www.britic.co.uk/2018/01/31/serbian-month-starts-with-memorial-to-ww2-victims-of-genocide/

Launch of new music charity: from Serbia, around the globe

http://www.britic.co.uk/2018/02/08/launch-of-new-music-charity-from-serbia-around-the-globe/

Photo gallery: St Sava’s Day in London