THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF IVO ANDRIĆ STARTS TODAY

VIŠEGRAD, MARCH 12 /SRNA/ - In Višegrad, a series of cultural events will mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Nobel laureate Ivo Andrić starting today.

The commemorative program begins at 7:00 PM at the Cultural Center with a lecture about Andrić and a concert of spiritual music performed by students from the Music Academy of the University of East Sarajevo.

The Andrić Institute will host an exhibition titled "Andrić and Višegrad: from the first steps to unforgetfulness" tomorrow at 1:00 PM, authored by Gordana Stančić, Slavko Garić, Gorica Ćećez, and Željka Ostojić.

The archival material used in preparing the exhibition was collected from the Ivo Andrić Foundation, the Museum of the City of Belgrade, the Archives of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as institutions in Višegrad, including the Cultural Center "Ivo Andrić," the Public Library "Ivo Andrić," the Secondary School Center "Ivo Andrić," the Tourist Organization, and the Municipality Archive.

One of the key collaborators in the realization of the exhibition is Divna Vasić, a retired professor of Serbian literature and a long-time researcher of Andrić's character and work.

Also, tomorrow at 7:00 PM, the second part of the book "Blagoje Jovović - srpski heroj u vučjoj jazbini"/Blagoje Jovović - Serbian Hero in the Wolf's Den/, authored by Marija Jovović, the daughter of Blagoje Jovović, who is remembered as the man who assassinated the ustasha leader Ante Pavelić, will be presented at the Cultural Center.

An exhibition of paintings by the Citizens' Association "Art Symposium Jahorina" will be opened on Friday, March 14, at the City Gallery of Višegrad at 7:00 PM.

Students and teachers from the Secondary School Center "Ivo Andrić" will lay flowers at Andrić's monuments to commemorate the anniversary of his death.

The commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death of the Nobel laureate is organized by the National Library "Ivo Andrić," the Cultural Center "Ivo Andrić," the City Gallery, and the Andrić Institute.

Serbian director Emir Kusturica built the Andrić Institute, the City Hall, and other facilities in honor of the Nobel laureate in Andrićgrad, modeled after buildings from the period of medieval history and the time of Austro-Hungarian rule.

The great Serbian writer and Nobel laureate Ivo Andrić was born on October 9, 1892. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1961 for "the epic strength with which he shaped themes and depicted the destinies of people throughout the history of his country."

In his works, he primarily dealt with describing life in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Ottoman rule.

In his youth, Andrić was a member of the progressive movement "Young Bosnia" and a passionate fighter for the liberation of the South Slavic peoples from the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.

He graduated and earned his doctorate in Graz, Austria, and spent the time between the two world wars serving in the consulates and embassies of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in Rome, Bucharest, Graz, Paris, Madrid, Brussels, Geneva, and Berlin.

He was a member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. His most famous works include "Na Drini ćuprija"/The Bridge on the Drina/, "Travnička hronika"/The Chronicles of Travnik/, "Prokleta avlija" /The Damned Yard/", "Gospođica" /Miss/, and "Jelena, žena koje nema"/Jelena, a Woman Who's Not/.