I launched the project "Montenegro across the Atlantic" this spring with Dr. Srđo Martinović, professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Montenegro, researcher of international relations, history of diplomacy and Montenegrin diaspora. Our wish was to look at the historical and contemporary ties between Montenegro and the United States of America in a new and different way, he said in an interview for "Vijesti" Dusan Medin, archaeologist and executive director of the Society for Cultural Development “Bauo”.
According to him, the first phase of the project was implemented during a little over 40 days of intensive tourist stays, field trips, working meetings and lectures in about 20 states across the USA, from Florida and California, through the Pacific Northwest and the Mountain West, to the Great Lakes region, the East Coast and the capital city of Washington.
"Our main goal this time was twofold. On the one hand, we sought to present the wealth of Montenegrin cultural and historical heritage to the international academic and professional public through lectures, professional meetings and discussions with colleagues. On the other hand, we wanted to systematically explore the traces of Montenegrin emigration, from the first waves of migration in the 19th century to the contemporary communities that live and operate throughout America today, by traveling through the USA. We were particularly interested in how migration shaped the identities of individuals and families, what kind of ties the diaspora still maintains with Montenegro today, and how memories of origins are transmitted through generations. Through tours and fieldwork, visits to archives, museums, cemeteries, cultural centers and conversations with numerous interlocutors, we sought to better understand the multi-layered connections that generations of our people have built across the Atlantic, but also to point out the importance of their place in the overall history of Montenegro," Medin emphasized.
Key support from the Miloš Karadaglić Foundation
Medin emphasizes that the first and key financial support for their idea was provided by the Foundation Miloš Karadaglić through the Culture and Arts Program for 2026, which is implemented in cooperation with its partners, friends and donors.
"Subsequently, support also came from the Ministry of Diaspora of Montenegro, which created the conditions for the implementation of the first phase of this demanding project. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the donors and their representatives, first and foremost to Mr. Miloš Karadaglić, a world-famous artist, and his team: Vanji Vukcevic, Tijani Radulovic i To Natasa StefanovicMany thanks to the Minister. Mirsad Azemović and his associates, especially To Ivan Ivanovic i Jasmin Lukačević", pointed out Medin.
He also owes special gratitude to the numerous Montenegrin emigrants and their descendants who selflessly helped during his stay as hosts, guides, interlocutors, and collaborators in the field.
“Their openness, hospitality and willingness to share family stories, documents, photographs and valuable experiences were one of the most important segments of the entire research. Among the large number of people who contributed to the project, I must especially mention Mr. Milutin Perović from San Francisco and Mr. John Borozan from Seattle, as well as their family members, who provided us with exceptional support and connected us with many emigrants and their descendants. Of course, there were many more individuals who helped the project in various ways and we owe them all our sincere gratitude. However, considering the scope and complexity of the project, its duration, the number of states we visited, as well as the significantly higher costs of living, transportation and accommodation in the United States of America compared to Montenegro, it was necessary to partly contribute financially to its implementation. We expected this from the very beginning and considered it completely natural because, in the end, this trip was not only a tourist, research and professional endeavor, but also an exceptional life experience that, I am convinced, enriched us as people", said Medin.
Celebrating May 21st in New York
The stay in New York, as he emphasized, coincided with the celebration of a great jubilee - 20 years since the restoration of Montenegro's independence.
"We had the opportunity to witness a series of activities that promoted this anniversary in one of the most important cities in the world. Particularly impressive was the project of the Consulate General of Montenegro in New York, thanks to which promotional content dedicated to Montenegro and this occasion was broadcast in Times Square. The Montenegrin flag and messages dedicated to the anniversary were thus in front of millions of passers-by and tourists from all over the world, which represented a strong symbolic and promotional gesture towards the international public. At the same time, it was inspiring to see how proudly members of the Montenegrin diaspora participated in marking this important date and how strongly, despite the geographical distance, they cherish their ties with their homeland. On May 21, we attended a grand ceremony and entertainment program at the New York club Casa CeCe, organized by the Montenegrin emigration," Medin emphasized.
Cooperation with the Embassy and Consulate General
Medin emphasizes that the support and helpfulness during the implementation of the project were also provided by the Embassy of Montenegro in the USA, headed by Ambassador Jovan Mirković, as well as the Consulate General and the Consul General Snežana Ionica.
"Their openness to cooperation and willingness to support activities aimed at promoting Montenegro and connecting with the diaspora meant a lot to us during our stay in the USA. On May 26, we had the honor of attending a reception organized by the Consul General at the Kimberly Hotel in New York on the occasion of Independence Day. On the same day, a little earlier, organized by the Embassy of Montenegro in Washington, and on the occasion of marking the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States of America and the 20th anniversary of the restoration of Montenegro's independence, a colleague and I gave a lecture at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, one of the most prestigious American higher education institutions in the field of international relations," says Medin.
The lecture, he added, was an opportunity to present Montenegro and the Western Balkans to the audience, which consisted of representatives of the academic community, the diplomatic corps, various institutions, the Montenegrin diaspora, and students, through the prism of historical development, contemporary political and social challenges, but also future development perspectives.
"We paid special attention to presenting Montenegrin history, multicultural character and Montenegro's European path, with the belief that such meetings contribute to a better international understanding of our country, strengthening professional ties and opening space for new forms of academic and institutional cooperation. We were honored to have a distinguished Montenegrin-American journalist as our keynote speaker and moderator." Milena Đurđić, who lives and works in Washington," he emphasizes.
About Budva and Montenegro at the University of Berkeley
According to him, at the University of California at Berkeley, one of the most important universities in the world, he had the opportunity to give a guest lecture on April 29 as part of the program of the Archaeological Research Facility and the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures.
“The lecture entitled Cultural Heritage in a Small State: The Archaeology of Montenegro Through the Case of Budva was dedicated to the archaeology and cultural heritage of Montenegro, with a special focus on Budva as one of the most significant and longest-standing urban centers on the eastern Adriatic coast.
"Through a presentation of the results of previous research, I presented the layered history of Budva, from the ancient period to the modern era, pointing out the importance of the city as a meeting place of different cultures, political influences and trade networks for more than two and a half thousand years," Medin pointed out.
As he emphasized, the lecture gathered a large audience because it was open not only to academic staff, but also to the general public, which enabled a subsequent substantive discussion about the place of Budva and Montenegro in broader Mediterranean and European cultural flows.
"For me, this was a particularly important experience, not only because of the reputation of the host institution, but also because it was a rare opportunity to present the archaeological heritage of Montenegro at one of the world's leading universities. Such appearances truly contribute to the international visibility of our science and culture, open up opportunities for new academic contacts and cooperation, but also confirm that topics from the Montenegrin past can be relevant and interesting to a wider international audience," he said.
Lecture at the 91st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology
At the 91st annual scientific meeting of the Society for American Archaeology (SAA) in San Francisco, one of the largest and most important scientific gatherings of archaeologists in North America, Medin had the opportunity to present the diversity of Montenegro's archaeological heritage, but also the long tradition of international cooperation that has marked the development of archaeological science in Montenegro.
“The lecture entitled Internationalizing Archaeology in Montenegro: A Long Tradition of Collaboration with Foreign Scholars was part of the session Knowledge Creation with Communities, Stakeholders, and Archaeologists, chaired by Michelle Taylor (American University, Washington DC). In my presentation, I pointed out the fact that Montenegrin archaeology, despite limited institutional and financial capacities throughout different historical periods, has been strongly connected to international scientific trends from the very beginning. Special attention was paid to the work of numerous foreign researchers, travel writers, diplomats, collectors and scientists who, from the 19th century until the mid-20th century, explored the area of Montenegro, documented its monuments and contributed to a better understanding of its past. Their work represents a relevant part of the history of Montenegrin archaeology and testifies to the fact that interest in the cultural heritage of this area existed long before the formation of modern scientific institutions,” Medin emphasizes.
At the same time, the lecture, he added, was an opportunity to discuss contemporary processes of internationalization of archaeology in Montenegro, which are today reflected through joint research projects, international conferences, student exchanges, professional development and cooperation with universities, institutes and museums across Europe and the world.
"I particularly emphasized that international cooperation represents one of the key mechanisms for improving scientific standards, exchanging experiences, and increasing the visibility of Montenegrin research in the global academic framework," said Medin.
Lecture at the Colma Memorial Center
As he emphasized, together with Srđa Martinović, on May 2, he held a lecture at the Colma Cultural and Memorial Center near San Francisco, as part of the California and Montenegro: Historical Connections and Contemporary Perspectives program, organized on the occasion of the 146th anniversary of the Serbian & Montenegrin Literary and Benevolent Society, founded back in 1880.
"This is one of the oldest active organizations of emigrants from Montenegro and the Balkans in the United States, which for almost a century and a half has represented an important pillar of preserving common heritage, identity and mutual solidarity. The lecture began with a presentation of geographical, historical, cultural and social aspects of Montenegro. Then, my colleague Martinović spoke about historical migrations from Montenegro and the formation of Montenegrin communities in California, and I about migrations from Paštrovići and Budva to the west coast of the USA. For me, this lecture also had an additional personal dimension, since it was precisely the interest in the fates of my ancestors and relatives who left for America during the 19th and 20th centuries that was one of the incentives for dealing with this research topic. Unfortunately, none of them are alive today, but their graves represent important places for me that I visited and on which I laid a stone brought from Paštrovići," Medin emphasized and added:
"The packed hall and exceptional attendance at the lecture, as well as the very informative discussion that followed, confirmed that interest in the history of the Montenegrin diaspora still exists strongly today, both among the descendants of emigrants, as well as among researchers and representatives of local communities. At the same time, this event represented one of the most beautiful opportunities during the entire trip to talk about our common history, heritage and identity in the very place where many of our emigrants began their new lives more than a century ago," concluded Medin.
Medin: This journey is not the end, but the beginning of new international collaborations
According to him, he certainly does not see this journey as the end of a process, but rather as its beginning.
"However, since we did not act as official representatives of state institutions or as decision-makers, but primarily as individuals who initiated and implemented the project on their own initiative, we measure its success primarily by the quality of the experience we gained, the contacts we made, the exchange of knowledge, as well as the opportunities for future cooperation that opened up during the trip. If at least some of these contacts develop into concrete projects, research, publications or other forms of cooperation, I believe that not only the project participants, but also the wider scientific, professional and cultural community in Montenegro will benefit from it. From my perspective, this trip represents a continuation of the process of internationalization of professional activities that I am building through travel and cooperation with colleagues and institutions in the United States of America. I expect to continue cooperation with researchers whom I have met or with whom I have further deepened professional ties during this and the previous two stays in America. I am primarily thinking of my participation in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the US Department of State during August last year, as well as the annual meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America and the Society for Classical Studies held in January this year in San Francisco," he said. Medina.
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