The National Library "Radosav Ljumović" celebrated its 145th anniversary on Monday, confirming its role as one of the most important cultural institutions in Podgorica and Montenegro. The jubilee celebration was held at the premises of the KIC "Budo Tomović", attended by numerous guests, representatives of institutions and lovers of the written word.
Director of the National Library "Radosav Ljumović" Slavica Ilinčić She said that the establishment of this institution represented an important foundation for the development of culture and social progress.
“On this day, in the distant year 1881, the opening of the Serbian reading room with a library was won by the enthusiasm of a group of prominent citizens: the duke Marko Miljanov, duke Bećir-beg Osmanagić, judges Village of Abazovića and the brigadier Mihajlo Vučinić"This laid the foundations for the development of culture and general social progress. This jubilee is not just a number, it represents almost a century in terms of dedication to knowledge, culture, education and community," Ilinčić emphasized.
She emphasized that over the decades, the library has been much more than a space filled with books.
"It was a meeting place of ideas, silence and dialogue, of what was, what is and what will be. Through different historical periods and social changes, it remained a steadfast beacon of knowledge. Generations of readers, pupils, students, researchers and lovers of the written word found inspiration, answers, but also new questions that drive progress," said Ilinčić.
President of the Assembly of the Capital City Jelena Borovinić Bojović She said that the 145 years of the library's existence represent a measure of a long and valuable cultural journey.
"Today we measure the length of a great journey through culture and education, a path built with knowledge, books, ideas and people who believed that education is the foundation of a free, responsible and mature society. From humble beginnings in a private house in Stara Varoš, through a church building donated by the Metropolitan Ilarion Roganović", to the representative home in Nova Varoš, the reading room grew together with Podgorica, and Podgorica with the reading room," said Borovinić Bojović.
She recalled that since its founding, the library has brought people and books together, building a space of openness and progress.
"The alliance between the book and man was a platform for the journey into the future. Among the members of the reading room was the teacher Milica Ilić, which testifies to the ideas that surpassed the framework of the time and continued to spread them in the decades that followed. The library shared the fate of the city and was not without challenges and interruptions," she stated.
Minister of Culture and Media Tamara Vujović She said that the jubilee of the National Library goes beyond one date and one institution, because it concerns the essence of the cultural identity of Montenegro.
"We gather for books, libraries and the written word, for what has a deep historical, cultural and social meaning in Montenegro. Montenegro has the rare privilege of starting its cultural history with a book. 'Oktoih prvoglasnik', printed in 1494 in Crnojević's printing house, testifies to an early understanding of the value of knowledge, literacy and culture," said Vujović.
She pointed out that according to international standards, libraries are considered key carriers of education, culture and information.
"A public library is not only a place of access to knowledge, but also a space for the development of critical thinking, media literacy and public dialogue, especially in the digital era. Libraries are centers of intercultural understanding and lifelong learning, which is why we can say that they are the most inclusive cultural institutions," said Vujović.
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