Culture is one of the key areas of national security. By nurturing culture and preserving cultural heritage, we protect the identity of the individual and the community.
Cultural diplomacy is a developed discipline of many countries and governments. The term is relatively new, but the practice is one of the ancient methods of public diplomacy. The use of culture, cultural practices and cultural products in order to establish political, economic and even military relations is as old as human society and is an effective tool of soft power of any state.
Through the promotion and exchange of cultural content, countries can overcome certain differences and communicate beyond narrow political-economic topics, which are the most common cause of potential misunderstanding. Cultural diplomacy is a valuable tool of public diplomacy.
Cultural diplomacy and intercultural exchange on a bilateral and multilateral level have the capacity to strengthen the position of the state on the international level, even in conditions of unfavorable foreign-political circumstances.
Cultural heritage is the greatest treasure of our society and our homeland. It is our collective identity because it speaks about who we are in a universal language. Everything is ours and everything is priceless. And everything in common, regardless of our ethnicity, religion and origin.
Our cultural heritage was built by generations of our ancestors, weaving into it the most beautiful part of their soul, history, suffering and beauty. We are responsible to the future to preserve that heritage for future times.
We did not inherit the cultural treasure of Serbia from our ancestors, but borrowed it from our descendants.
Dr Gordana Bekčić
Christmas cake festival: ČESNICA is the first event of its kind in the Republic of Serbia, but also in the wider area of the Western Balkans. The centuries-old tradition of Christmas cake is present in all Christian communities. It is a symbol of togetherness, family and fundamental values that are common to numerous states and nations, while the cultural pattern is passed down through the generations without losing its importance. The exclusive goal of the event is the promotion of the cultural heritage of numerous communities, the presentation of common heritage and cultural values.
The first festival was held at the end of December 2022 at the GRAD Cultural Center in Belgrade. The second festival was held on December 21, 2023 in a strategic partnership with the Zrenjanin National Museum in the Hall of the National Museum.
The Christmas Cake Festival is the author’s project of the director of the Office for Cultural Diplomacy, Dr. Gordana Bekčić. The sign and the festival are protected by intellectual property rights, while the CHESNITZA sign (graph) is protected as a trademark by the Intellectual Property Office (application number of the copyright work 990 number: 2024/617A-0425/2023; serial number of the copyright work 8994; Trademark document 84037) .
