Closing ceremony of the jubilee festival "Cyrillic"

The tenth anniversary festival "Cyrillic" is entering its finale with programs that connect the relationship towards cultural heritage with issues of contemporary literature and the future of the written word. After last night's promotion of the book "The Spirit Breathes Where It Wills" by Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral, a round table "Perspectives of Writing in the Digital Age" will be held in front of the Citadel tonight, while the festival will be closed on September 15 with a conversation with Dušan Kovačević and the awarding of the "Saint Stefan Štiljanović" award.

At last night's promotion of the book "The Spirit Breathes Where It Wills", published by "Obodsko slovo" from Podgorica and "Štampar Makarije" from Belgrade, the following spoke: Archpriest Aleksandar Lekic, prof. Ph.D Siniša Jelušić, prof. Ph.D Dušan Krcunović i Radomir Uljarević, director of the "Cirilic" festival and editor of the publication.

The book brings together almost forty texts written over a long period of time: sermons, lectures, essays, studies, essays, prefaces and book reviews - in which Metropolitan Joanikije deals with topics from the fields of theology, philosophy and literature, as well as personalities and works that have marked the spiritual and cultural history of this area.

Special attention during the evening was paid to Caregiver, his poetry and theology, but also his relationship with the poets and spiritual teachers who shaped the cultural space to which the book belongs. Speaking about the motif that connects the texts collected in the book, Metropolitan Joanikije emphasized that in his work he increasingly felt a responsibility towards his predecessors who left a great spiritual and cultural legacy.

"The more I worked, the more I felt that debt. And, of course, this little that I did, I consider to be no smaller part of the enormous debt that we have - to deal with our heritage and to worthily highlight what our predecessors have entrusted us with," said Metropolitan Joanikije.

Radomir Uljarević emphasized that the book connects deep theological experience with literature, culture and philosophy, while Prof. Dr. Siniša Jelušić spoke about the Metropolitan's interpretations of contemporary poetry and the originality of his approach to Njegoš's work. Prof. Dr. Dušan Krcunović opened the issue of Njegoš's relationship to Kosovo, history and religion, pointing to the spiritual dimension of the Metropolitan's reading of the greatest poet of the Serbian language.

The question of how cultural and spiritual heritage is preserved, interpreted and transmitted to modern man is also open, which is one of the important program lines of the "Cyrillic" festival.

In this context, tonight's round table "Perspectives of Writing in the Digital Age" is being held on September 14th, in front of the Citadel, and will bring together Bojan Jovanović, Marinko Vorgić, Mirko Rakočević, Nikola Marković i Aleksandra Jerkova.

The topic of the conversation is the changing position of literature and the written word in a time when digital technologies are increasingly influencing the way texts are created, shaped, published and read.

The digital environment brings new opportunities for authors and readers, but at the same time it raises questions about the very nature of writing, authorship and literary value, the role of new platforms and media, as well as the boundaries between literary text, digital content and new forms of artistic expression.

The round table is one of the programs in which the "Cyrillic" festival directly addresses the contemporary moment and the future of literature, opening a space for discussion about how the written word will look and function in an era increasingly determined by digital technologies.

The festival's closing ceremony was preceded by a book promotion. Igor Marojević "Mother, let me go", held on September 12. The autobiographical work, published by "Štampar Makarije" and "Obodski slova", is based on a true family tragedy and, through a personal story, raises questions about the responsibility of the state, loss and the consequences that major social events have on the individual and the family. Marojević is also the first winner of the festival award "Brskovski groš".

The closing evening of the tenth festival "Cirilica" will be held on September 15th, when the guest will be Dušan Kovačević, one of the most recognizable authors of contemporary Serbian literature and dramatic art. The literary critic, editor and publisher will talk with him Gojko Božović, and the conversation will cover Kovačević's decades-long literary, dramatic and film work, his relationship to language, history, society and cultural memory.

After the conversation, Kovačević will be presented with the "St. Stefan Štiljanović" award, this year's laureate Dušan Kovačević. The jury consists of Radomir Uljarević, Mila Baljevic and others Radoje Femic The decision was made taking into account his contribution to literature, dramatic art and film, as well as his creativity in which humor and tragedy, historical experience and contemporary life meet, with a strong relationship towards cultural memory and the Serbian language.

The award is named after Saint Stefan Štiljanović, a historical figure whose name is also associated with the area of ​​Paštrovići and Budva, thus connecting literary and artistic creativity with the cultural and historical heritage of the area where it is held, through its recognition.

The tenth edition of the "Cyrillic" festival, organized by "Obodsko slovo" and the Association of Publishers and Booksellers of Montenegro, under the patronage of the Municipality of Budva, will conclude with a program that, over more than three weeks, brought together literature, theater, opera, music, visual arts, and conversations about cultural heritage, contemporary society, and the future of art. All festival programs are free.