Report about the 3^rd Balkan Days in Munich 2009

 

The Balkan region is nothing chaotic or frightening, but a very colourful and vivid part of Europe! This was the message of the 3^rd Balkan Days in Munich.

Even at the opening on Friday, 13^th of November, Sadija Klepo, founder of the organization „Help from Human to Human“ and initiator of the Balkan Days, reminded to the cultural diversity of the Balkan region and the well done integration of different nations from the former and now countries from South-West-Europe here in Bavaria and Munich. She invited the visitors to let them be surprised by the „rouhg charme of the Balkan“ and be open for and enjoy all offerings of the next days.

In this sense, the nearly 100 visitors have received what they expected.

At the discussion forum on Friday evening about „Dialogue and Religions in the Balkan region” or at the diversified Balkan basar with 20 exhibitors and shows from the cultural community „Vitkovici“ as a guest from Gorazde in Bosnia-Herzegowina and the folklore-groups „Jelek“ (with Serbian music), „Gajda“ (with dances from Croatia) and „Lazarka“ (with dances from Bulgaria) from Munich. The typical Balkan food was an essential part of the Balkan Days. With Čevapčići of Konoba Budimir, who bulit up a special tent, the guests were provided with good meal like last year.

With a rich programme for kids, the mother-tongue authors Damjanka Čizmić, Šimo Ešić, Ivo Kobaš, Berka Nežić and Mirza Čardaklija let the mother language of the origin countries be vital. An exhibition of books for children from Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegowina found great interest and the visitors were thankful to be able to buy books from their home countries. The Bulgarian School in Munich gave a special contribution by taking part on the Balkan Days for the first time. Its pupils´group showed that language and home country stays present even in the diaspora.

The EC-Parlamentarian Bernd Posselt intonated in his welcome speach, that the most important role of the 3^rd Balkan Days is, that the Munich and Bavarians have different view of the Balkan. Balkan is nit somewhere in far east, but is a part of Eutope just like France in teh West and Italy in the South. Michael Hinterdobler from the Bavarian State Secretary Office also appointed on the fact that Bavaria does support this work connecting nations and mentioned examples how in Bavaria it is seen as a part of a future to get in connection with people from the Balkan region.

As a co-organizator, the South-East Institute Regensburg supplied a reading with the Croatian author Marica Bodrožić. Seminars with Bojan Aleksov from London and Edvin Pezo from Regensburg about churches and the Moslem religious community contributed to the scientific programme of the Balkan Days 2009.