Initiatives to the Mayor of Budva Municipality Nikola Jovanovic, city manager Marijana Bozovic and the Municipal Secretariat for Local Self-Government with a request to donate a monument to the famous Budva resident Krst Ivanovic placed on the Square in the Old Town of Budva, the "Femme Foundation" has also joined, thus increasing the number of organizations and public figures who are asking for a famous Budva resident to have a worthy monument in the city that made him famous.
The initiative followed after "Vijesti" recently published a statement by the famous sculptor, academician Zlatka Glamočak whose bronze bust of Don Krsto Ivanović, cast 16 years ago, still languishes in the basement of the Academy of Knowledge building.
"We addressed the Municipality with a proposal to improve the culture of remembrance and respect for significant figures from the history of Montenegro, and in this way set an example of a responsible attitude towards local and national cultural heritage. We believe that everyone will agree that Montenegro has an obligation to celebrate significant figures from its history, which is not exclusively military, but also includes cultural, educational and artistic contributions. It is particularly important to value that part of the heritage that has contributed to the recognition of Montenegro in the European cultural space," the Initiative submitted to "Vijesti" emphasizes.
As they emphasize, Don Krsto Ivanović (1628–1688) “was a historian and chronicler of Venetian theater, with a special contribution to the development of melodrama, the first phase in the development of opera.
"He wrote melodramas in verse, poems and historiographical writings, among which the most significant work is the "Chronicle of Budva", which obliged the people of Budva to remember and respect him. In his hometown, he served as a canon of the Cathedral of St. John and a public teacher, and through his activities and work, he contributed to the preservation and development of local institutions. Thanks to his reputation and abilities, the Venetian Doge appointed him a canon of the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice, one of the most influential church and cultural institutions of that time. By copying it, he also preserved the Statute of the City of Budva, which is an important source for understanding the structure and life of the city in that period," the Foundation reminds.
As they emphasize, his "Chronicle of Budva" represents valuable historical material about the life and everyday life of Budva, at the key crossroads of the influence of Venice and the Ottoman Empire, and represents an invaluable source for understanding the cultural, social and political trends of that time.
"Through his activities, Don Krsto Ivanović advocated for the interests of his city in Venice, thereby confirming his reputation and importance in the context of Montenegrin and Central European cultural history. We are disappointed that the bronze bust of Don Krsto Ivanović has been standing in a basement for over a decade and a half. This speaks very poorly of the state of culture in our entire country and this mistake must be corrected. Earlier announcements and formal initiatives regarding the memorial, which often came from the author of the bust, remained unanswered. The author announced that he was considering looking for the bust and sending it to Venice, where Don Krsto Ivanović died, which would be devastating for both Budva and Montenegro," the Foundation points out.
They add that since Budva is the most important city for Montenegrin tourism, they believe that the installation of this memorial would contribute to the city's tourism offer.
"The story of Don Krst speaks of the rich and inspiring interweaving of cultures in our region and of an exceptional personality who was ahead of his time. In the European context, destinations that successfully combine cultural heritage and tourism achieve greater recognition and extend the tourist season. Budva has all the prerequisites for such a development approach: the Old Town, museums, festivals, galleries and a rich cultural heritage," the Foundation states.
As “Vijesti” previously reported, the monument was commissioned in 2008 and cast in bronze in 2009. Since then, it has been standing in a foundry in Smederevo for years, because the Municipality showed no interest in moving it to Budva. Only after a few years, on personal engagement Merina Smailagic, the then director of the Public Institution "Theatre City", the monument was transported to Budva in 2014, to be stored in the underground garage where it is still located today.
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