The “Days of Jewish Culture in Kragujevac” began today at the Đuro Jakšić House. It is an event organized by the Association of Serbian-Israeli Friendship "Ahava" and Kragujevac cultural institutions which will be held at several locations for the next five days. The event was officially opened by the Ambassador of Israel to the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Ms. Avivit Bar-Ilan, who expressed her gratitude to everyone who made this event possible.

The fact that we have gathered today to celebrate the Jewish heritage of this city testifies to the great friendship of our peoples in the past and the determination to preserve the memory of common values: identity, culture, tradition and respect for diversity. This friendship has deep roots in times of peace and progress. However, during war, we shared the same fate and were united in our suffering. Therefore, today, by celebrating culture, we also celebrate life, emphasized the Israeli ambassador.

Expressing her belief that the values ​​we share will continue to strengthen the bilateral relations between our two countries, H.E. Avivit Bar-Ilan said that the memory of everything that binds the two peoples in culture and history should be cherished.

The Jewish cultural heritage is extremely rich and centuries-old. As witnesses of the present, we are obliged to promote this culture and preserve it from oblivion, said Predrag Vukašinović, director of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments in Kragujevac and president of the Ahava Association. This event, he explained, is primarily intended to remind that among the citizens of our city there were people of different religions and nationalities who contributed to the city’s cultural heritage. Any nation that actively promotes culture, education, sports, and art should be remembered.With this gesture, we honor all members of the Jewish community who once lived in this city and left a profound and lasting contribution to our culture. Cultural heritage must be preserved as part of humanity’s legacy, regardless of its origin, said Vukašinović.