Laureates of the Thirteenth of July Award always enable everyone to see Montenegro in its great duration, said the President of the Assembly Ranko Krivokapić, stating that only true values ensure duration.
Today, he presented the Thirteenth of July Award to this year's winners, playwright Ljubomir Đurković, professor at the University of Montenegro, Vesna Kilibarda, and painter Srđan Vukčević.
Đurković received the award for the dramatic trilogy "The Greeks", Vesna Kilibarda for the book "Njegoš and Italy", and Srđan Vukčević for the exhibition "Hipson's Lake".
Krivokapić thanked the award winners for, as he stated, spreading the name of Montenegro throughout the world.
"Laureates of the Thirteenth of July Prize always give us a new opportunity to see Montenegro in its duration. Each of your creations opens a new window to the world about how special Montenegro is. More than ever, you are tying Montenegro to its ancient dichotomy," Krivokapić said.
As he said, Montenegro always had the characteristics of Sparta because it was ready to fight and die for freedom, but also of Athens because it always had spirituality.
"We always knew that there would be no Spartan Montenegro, if there was no Athenian Montenegro, and that is the Montenegro with true values and open to hear both East and West," Krivokapić said.
That is why, as he stated, Montenegro is characterized by a lot of diversity in a small area.
As Krivokapić said, only the right values ensure duration. "July 13 is a symbol of Montenegro, which endures in values".
"Sparta was never our intention, but our necessity," said Krivokapić.
According to him, Njegoš also lived the dichotomy of Spartan and Athenian Montenegro, as well as the dichotomy of east and west.
Krivokapić said that Njegoš also saw in the West a model for institutions, as well as today's Montenegro, which strives for integration.
According to him, Montenegrin creators come from small countries, but they have great works.
"Montenegro will be bigger than ever in NATO," Krivokapić said.
Đurković thanked for the recognition, stating that it is a special honor because it bears the name of the most important date for Montenegro.
This, as he emphasized, is the most significant recognition in his career.
Kilibarda said that it was a special pleasure that she received the award for the book about Njegoš and Italy, because it is the product of two decades of work.
Vukčević said that it is especially important for creators to win the freedom and independence of artists, with the goal of eternal memory with lives and inexhaustible inspirations for work.
The member of the jury, Dragan Koprivica, said that the profiling of this year's awards, as a combination of three successful stories in one, "is a nice indicator of the recognition of the cultural coordinates of Montenegro".
23 candidates were nominated for Thirteenth of July, the president of the jury was Dragan Vukčević, and the members were Predrag Ivanović, Dragan Koprivica, Ilija Vujošević and Milenko Popović.
Gallery
Bonus video:
