SERBIAN–NORWEGIAN LITERARY ENCOUNTERS: TZAR CONSTANTINE IN THE KINGDOM OF NORWAY

The Fourth Serbian–Norwegian Literary Encounters continue to build something greater than a concert, a book or a single celebration: a space where people find one another through art, and two cultures meet through the things they hold most dear.

For borders may determine where we live, but words and music determine where we belong.

The “Tzar Constantine” Men’s Choir from Niš made the ceremonial opening of the Fourth Serbian–Norwegian Literary Encounters unforgettable, bringing writers, actors, artists and admirers of Serbian culture together at the Embassy. Among the guests were actors from Kosovo and Metohija.

The programme opened with an address by Ambassador Dr Jasmina Mitrović Marić, who reminded those present of the power of words: our relationships begin with words, as do our stories and our understanding of the world. As an ancient saying reminds us, “In the beginning was the Word.”

The Ambassador noted that great poetry still confronts us with questions we cannot escape: What will we leave behind? What is human dignity worth? Where does fear end and freedom begin? And what does it mean to remain human in times that continually demand it of us?

Branko Dimeski, founder of the Serbian–Norwegian Literary Encounters, also addressed the gathering. He introduced the participants and invited each of them to speak. He then thanked the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian Orthodox Church in Norway for supporting the organisation and development of this cultural event.

Priests Aleksandar Zeljković and Johannes Sulberg of the Serbian Orthodox Church also spoke. Father Dragan Jovanov, who is also a member of the Embassy team, reflected on the remarkable fate of works of art: their creators belong to a particular age, but what they create belongs to the centuries.

Ambassador Dr Jasmina Mitrović Marić was presented with the Henrik August Angell Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of Serbian Creators of Scandinavia and DDan Media Norway. The award recognises her longstanding commitment to supporting and promoting Serbian culture throughout her career - from her early days as a young television editor in the Culture Department, through her role as an adviser to the President of Serbia, to her service as ambassador in Copenhagen and Oslo.

The celebrated “Tzar Constantine” Men’s Choir from Niš gave the evening a special dimension, showing how powerfully music can complement what poetry expresses in words. From the solemn opening with the Serbian national anthem, “Bože pravde,” to the closing songs that delighted the audience and prompted calls for more, the line between performers and listeners almost disappeared.

This meeting of words and music captures the very essence of the Literary Encounters: Serbian culture in Norway should be more than a heritage we preserve; it should be a living art that we create, share and pass on.

The ceremonial opening at the Embassy marks the start of this year’s programme. The “Tzar Constantine” Choir and participants in the Serbian–Norwegian Literary Encounters will continue their cultural mission with a performance and concert at the Serbian church in Drammen, followed by another at the church in Oslo, where the writers will present their work and speak with the audience. The festival will conclude with a concert in Våler.