“Given to me as a gift from the elders, those elderly exceptional people, the descendants of the generation of those singers about whom Milman Parry wrote and narrated are in tonight’s focus of my attention and love. They are the ones who raised me to this recognition,” said Svetlana Spajić, this year’s winner of the Heritage Heroes award, for her outstanding contribution to the preservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage.
“Selection of Svetlana as this year’s laureate emphasizes the EU’s commitment to preserving and celebrating Serbia’s unique cultural heritage as an integral part of our common European heritage. I know that some fear that Serbia’s cultural identity will be lost with Serbia’s accession to the EU. On the contrary, it will continue to live, to be preserved and to be promoted, and it will be even richer as Serbia progresses on the road to EU integration”, pointed out Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation and added that for the third time in a row, the “Heritage Heroes” award goes into the hands of a woman, which further confirms the key role of women in the preservation and promotion of heritage.
“It is wonderful to see that the strategic cooperation between the European Union and Europa Nostra Serbia has been transferred to Serbia and that in this way, in these not very easy times, some very important values are being promoted through this award,” said Sneška Quaedvlieg Mihailović, Secretary General of Europa Nostra.
“Svetlana Spajić, a prominent traditional singer, advocate of intangible cultural heritage and cultural activist, received this prestigious award both for her long-term commitment to the preservation of Serbian and Balkan vocal traditions, and for her invaluable contribution to research, documentation, interpretation and transmission of those traditions to new generations,” said Dr Slavica Vujović, President of Europa Nostra Serbia and president of the jury.
With her tireless work, Svetlana Spajić has shown that an individual can have a huge impact on the preservation and valorization of cultural heritage, making her a true role model for future generations. What sets her apart is her ability to combine the traditional with the contemporary in a unique way, connecting the Serbian cultural heritage with European musical trends. Her work is a bridge between past and present, local and international. Through cooperation with world-renowned artists, Svetlana successfully promotes Serbian intangible cultural heritage on the global stage.
Spajić played an important role in the projects of Marina Abramović, and in 2011 she was engaged in the theatre project “The Life and Death of Marina Abramović”, directed by theatre director and artist Robert Wilson. She also participated in numerous musical and theatre projects with world-famous artists such as Yanka Rupkina, Domna Samiou and Antony Hegarty. Her performances at prestigious festivals and concert halls such as WOMAD, WOMEX and the Museum of Modern Art in New York are additional confirmation of her artistic and cultural momentum.
Through her personal involvement and work with her singing group, Spajić inspires young people to commit to traditional singing, thus showing that cultural heritage is a vital part of our identity and that it plays a significant role in modern society.
It is of particular importance to note that Svetlana Spajić successfully combines artistic work with cultural activism, thereby contributing to the promotion of cultural heritage preservation policy in broader social context. As a result of her work, many forms of musical heritage from Serbia and the region have been permanently preserved and documented.
The decision was made by the following jury:
- Dr Slavica Vujović, president of Europa Nostra Serbia and president of the jury
- Sena Marić, Delegation of the European Union in Serbia
- Dr Dubravka Preradović, art historian, Europa Nostra Serbia
- Anita Mančić, actress
- Dr Katarina Živanović, curator, Europa Nostra Serbia
- Stanka Čoban, winner of the “Heritage Heroes” award for 2022
- Viktorija Aladžić, winner of the “Heritage Heroes” award for 2023
The Heritage Heroes Award was established to recognize and celebrate the individual efforts of citizens in the preservation of cultural heritage. The initiative was launched by the Delegation of the European Union in Serbia, in partnership with the organization Europa Nostra Serbia.
