On the occasion of marking this year’s event the Days of European Heritage, Europa Nostra Serbia and the Delegation of the European union to Serbia established the Annual award of Europa Nostra Serbia for personal contribution in the field of heritage – “Heritage heroes”.

This year’s “Heritage Heroine” is associate professor Dr Viktorija Aladžić, an architect from Subotica, because of her persistent and dedicated work on preserving the architectural heritage in Serbia. Viktorija is especially recognised not only in our country, but also in international circles when it comes to the Secession in Subotica, which she wrote about and published extensively, especially regarding its protection.

Photo: Viktorija Aladžić (Subotica.com)

Since 2000, Viktorija has advocated the restoration of the Synagogue in Subotica. On her initiative and with her involvement, the SOS Synagogue Foundation was founded and plans were made for the restoration of this gem of architectural heritage. She also prepared a successful application for the inclusion of the Subotica Synagogue in the Europa Nostra 7 Most Endangered Programme in 2014; she was also involved in the Europa Nostra Serbia project “Heritage under Scrutiny” which was dedicated to research, education and restoration of the Subotica Synagogue (2015-2016) and produced results which served as support for the successfully completed works on the restoration of the Synagogue through the Serbia-Hungary cross-border cooperation program “DIAMOND – Jewels at the turn of the century – thematic rovings in the world of Art Nouveau”. The EU financed the renovation of the synagogue in the amount of EUR 100 thousand.

 

In 2013, Dr Viktorija Aladžić also initiated and prepared an application for the city of Subotica to become a member of the Réseau Art Nouveau network and became the president of the Council for the Protection and Valorisation of Subotica’s Cultural Heritage, which manages membership in the Network. Through the meetings and work of this network, she promoted the heritage of secession throughout Serbia. The 2023 Heritage Heroes Award will be presented to Dr Viktorija Aladžić at a special ceremony in December 2023.

Emanuele Giaufret, Ambassador of the European Union in Serbia, emphasised that the Serbian cultural heritage contributes to the richness and cultural diversity of our common European heritage.

“EU support for the preservation of Serbia’s cultural heritage is significant. We supported the preservation and reconstruction of numerous buildings of Serbian cultural heritage, such as Golubac, the Fetislam Fortress, the fortress and Franciscan monastery in Bač, the Synagogue in Subotica, while the reconstruction of several important sites, such as the wine cellars in Rajac and Rogljevo, the Visitor Centre for the site of Felix Romuliana, the house of Mokranjac in Negotin, the Royal Winery in Oplenac”, said Giaufret and pointed out that he is very proud of the “Heritage Heroes” award.

“Europa Nostra Serbia and the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia established the “Heritage Heroes” award in 2022 for personal contribution in the field of heritage, outstanding achievements and long-term personal commitment. With the award, we strive to encourage and make visible those who deal with heritage on a daily basis with strong dedication, who inspire others to act and who have encouraged positive changes in the understanding of heritage, the development of a culture of remembrance and the value it has for society today”, Prof Dr Irina Subotić, president of the jury, art historian and president of Europa Nostra Serbia.

“This year’s heritage heroine is Viktorija Aladžić, whose love for the heritage of Subotica resulted in a decades-long struggle for heritage on many tracks, including those that had not been traced until then. Viktorija is a dedicated professor and mentor, a tireless researcher of the architectural heritage of Subotica, a unique voice of Subotica’s heritage in the media, on the streets, at tea parties and numerous workshops that she organizes for her fellow citizens, but also a tireless activist who was at work every time the heritage of Subotica was threatened”, said docent Dr Višnja Kisić, member of the jury and Board of Directors of Europa Nostra Serbia, and added that Viktorija is responsible for the inclusion of Subotica on the Route of European Secession Cities.

Actress Anita Mančić pointed out that we often forget how much time, will and love it takes to build something, and how little time it takes to tear something down or let it be forgotten.

“I would like this award to move every individual who lives in a surroundings, all of us here, to realize that what is left behind us and these streets we walk on, the buildings we enter, and we are not aware of who built them, the language we speak, but we don’t know anything about it, the songs we hear, but we don’t know anything about them, that someone made a great effort to create it, and that it is up to us to fight to preserve it”, said Anita and added that this is the only way we can preserve our identity.

This year’s European Heritage Days are marked by the theme “Living Heritage” and are held across Europe from September 9-17. “Living Heritage” is of great importance because it promotes social cohesion, respect for diversity, and can help communities build resilient, peaceful and inclusive societies. European Heritage Days, which are held every September, are part of a large European event that presents heritage as a common heritage of European nations.

This year’s jury included Prof. Dr Irina Subotić, art historian and president of Europa Nostra Serbia, actress Anita Mančić, Vesna Marjanović, Secretary General of Europa Nostra Serbia, Dubravka Savić, representative of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Dr Katarina Živanović, museologist and heritologist, head of the SANU Gallery, doc. Dr Višnja Kisić, UNESCO Master Programme for Cultural Policy and Management of the University of Arts in Belgrade, and Stanka Čoban, winner of the “Heritage heroes” award for 2022.

European Heritage Days even was established by the Council of Europe in 1985 in France, but since 1999 it has been run as a joint initiative of the European Commission and the Council of Europe. European Heritage Days allow citizens to explore culture through themed events and discover the history of people and places that have contributed to shaping Europe’s culture and heritage.