With today’s “Day of Music and Crafts”, the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports continued the programme of marking the traditional “Days of European Heritage” on the promenade in front of the Ministry building.

“I’m glad to see you again on the promenade. Today we’ll have an opportunity to enjoy great handicrafts, learn how to make needle lace embroidery, or how to shoe eggs, we’ll do some singing too… The “Days of European Heritage” continues and will continue until the mid-December, so be with us and enjoy the rich programme that we have prepared,” said the Federal Minister of Culture and Sports, Sanja Vlaisavljević, in her opening address to the guests.

Damir Bunoza, Adviser to the Minister for Organization and Strategic Planning in Culture, spoke about this year’s programme prepared by the Ministry and about the idea to mark the “Days of European Heritage” in several stages:

“This year we shall for the very first time engage the artists from all over the Federation of BiH within the “Days of European Heritage” manifestation. The best of them will present their works at the final event to be held in Mostar. The public call for works of art is open until 3 November. The interested artists can find all the information on the website of the Ministry.

Mrs. Edina Brka from Tešanj has been keeping the tradition of needle lace embroidery for years. She presented some of her unique works to the visitors in front of the Ministry today: “I have been making lace for more than thirty years. Needle lace embroidery is performed with a very thin thread, without any scheme or plan, and that is why each work is completely unique. We cannot plan in advance how the final product will look like, and that is what attracted me to this skill. Needle lace embroidery belongs to our tradition, it’s one of the oldest crafts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I am trying to preserve it.”

Mateo Ivičević, the student of the final grade of the “Ivan Goran Kovačić” High School from Kiseljak and a member of the “Egg Blacksmiths” Division of the” Napredak” Cultural Society, spoke about the technique of decorating eggs with horseshoes and other metal objects: “Egg shoeing is a craft created by Kreševo blacksmiths in the Middle Ages, and I learned this skill from my father. “Unfortunately, there are not many people who cultivate this wonderful craft,” said Mateo, adding that he would try to continue the tradition of egg shoeing with his colleagues from the “Egg Blacksmiths” Division.

Vlado Podany, composer and pianist, performed in the musical part of today’s programme, and delighted the guests with great arrangements.

The event was attended by teachers and students of Sarajevo secondary schools “Obala” and Catholic School Centre “St. Joseph”.

We would like to remind you that this year’s manifestation “European Heritage Days 2023”, marked by the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports under the motto “Living Heritage”, was opened on 18 October 2023 with the program “Landscape Architecture and Living Heritage” and a street art performance on the promenade in front of the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports. The final manifestation will be organized in Mostar, on 12 December.