With a monumental 151,000 entries, the new Duden remains comprehensive, incorporating a wide range of updates, particularly from the fields of warfare and culinary trends. Among the new additions are terms like “Balkonkraftwerk” (solar panel on a balcony), “Deutschlandticket” (a nationwide discounted travel pass), and “Ukrainekrieg” (war in Ukraine).

“Duden mirrors the shifts in society. These new phrases highlight significant developments over the past three to four years,” explained the editor-in-chief of the 29th edition, released after a four-year hiatus.

The printed version of this edition sets a new record, further solidifying Duden’s status as a linguistic barometer of the times.

The post Germany’s Duden Dictionary Expands with 3,000 New Words Reflecting Modern Times appeared first on CorD Magazine.

“This year, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a historic visit to Serbia. The two presidents agreed that 300 young Serbian people and teenagers would be invited to visit China on study trips over the next three years,” Li Ming said at the Palace of Serbia during a reception organized by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić for Serbian students and high schoolers traveling to China as part of the International Youth Cultural Exchange program.

The Chinese ambassador highlighted that the group “Mint,” inspired by this agreement, initiated a student exchange program between Serbia and China.

According to him, there are similarities between the two countries, as well as great opportunities for mutual development.

“In the development of this friendship and relationship between China and Serbia, more and more young people are participating. I truly hope that on this journey they will learn a lot about China, gain many wonderful experiences, and share their experiences about Serbia in China,” concluded the Chinese ambassador.

The post Ambassador Li Ming Highlights Cultural Exchange Opportunities for Serbian Students in China appeared first on CorD Magazine.

Few musicians in our region have bequeathed us such a rich cultural heritage as Vlatko Stefanovski. In this exclusive interview for CorD, we discuss his creative journey, accolades, cooperation with greats of world music, his new album, memoirs, and the concerts with which he will mark the 50 anniversary of his career.

Few musicians in our region have bequeathed us such a rich cultural heritage as Vlatko Stefanovski. In this exclusive interview for CorD, we discuss his creative journey, accolades, cooperation with greats of world music, his new album, memoirs, and the concerts with which he will mark the 50 anniversary of his career.

Vlatko, we congratulate you on the massive achievement of a 50-year musical career! When you look back, how would you describe your journey from the beginning to your current status as one of the region’s most influential musicians?

— I don’t like to talk about successes. Listing successes is unrewarding and pathetic. I would refer to my fascination with what I do. I’m still fascinated by music and the guitar as an instrument. I’m thrilled that I’m able to perform, to travel, and that I’m in relatively good health and can thus still be active. Success isn’t something that feeds me, it’s something that comes despite me.

Other people decided that I should succeed, specifically the audience. What’s important to me is that I see that same boy who was obsessed with the idea of making doing music when I look back. I can still see him sitting in the yard in Skopje’s Taftalidže neighbourhood, trying to produce expensive sounds on a cheap instrument. And that discipline of making bands at that time was so exciting! Create a band with your generation and try to perform in public. Not just to stay in a garage or a shed with your ideas, but to perform at school, in the city, in the country, not to mention playing abroad. That’s what feeds me, not successes. If I start listing the albums we recorded, the kinds of tours we had, everywhere we’ve travelled, that gets boring.

Success isn’t something that feeds me, it’s something that comes despite me. Other people decided that I should succeed, specifically the audience

And carving out your own place under the sun, for your craft, for your love and passion, that’s success. My friend Miroslav Tadić says: “When I fly on a plane and find myself surrounded by strangers, and when someone asks me what I do for a living and I say that I play the guitar and make a living from it, that’s success”! A man should be proud of that status. Success is being satisfied with what you do and what you’ve achieved in life. A little girl neighbour of mine asked me a while ago: “Uncle Vlatko, are you happy?” I thought for a second and said, “that’s a difficult question, but I can say that I’m satisfied, and that’s enough.” Happiness is an illusion. One sad news item that you read in a newspaper or one stupid message is enough to upset your equilibrium. Perhaps you have a fine balance for a while, but then comes a time of imbalance, the dynamics of life. You don’t have comprehensive insurance on that balance, or on happiness. And it is in that poetic sense that happiness is an illusion.

Music is a universal language. What is it to you?

— For me, music is the quickest link to connect with the universe, with some cosmic balance. Perfect harmony exists in the universe, in that chaos. Music can also be chaos. From notes, tones and sounds. Organising that chaos, those frequencies, and making that organisation of sounds say something to us and mean something emotionally. Frequencies that touch my heart, that’s music.

You stated recently that the neck of your guitar familiarises you with the universe, but also with people…

— In looking at that neck for over 50 years, I’ve been seeking balance, meaning and solutions. I believe that a man who is engaged in metal crafting, say someone who makes a tool, is also seeking meaning in his tools.

The painter looks at the canvas and seeks meaning when he paints, or while he paints. I believe that all creative people seek meaning through their work, and also search for answers to those countless questions that surround and burden us.

You were born in Prilep, where you stayed until the age of three. You say that it’s thanks to this that you “have a permit” to play the blues. How does industry inspire musicians?

— Yes, I found that connection because Prilep is a tobacco city, Tobacco Road. That thought crosses my mind by chance… I’ve been in Seattle, in Philadelphia, in New York, and in Rotterdam. I’ve also been in Rijeka, in Pula. I think young people are a little frustrated in those industrial cities and big cities. They are buried under physical pollution, but also social pollution. In their search for salvation, they form bands to express their frustrations. It’s much nicer to cause a din on your amp than to drift the tyres of your car. It’s also better for the environment, for the neighbourhood, and for our mental and spiritual state.

Let’s turn to Robert Johnson, Paganini, Bach, Jimi Hendrix and his Purple Haze. Why are top performers throughout music history said to have made pacts with dark, demonic forces?

— You mentioned Robert Johnson and Paganini. And I will mention a detail from the Milorad Pavić novel Dictionary of the Khazars and the hero of that book who talks about the devil’s ‘prstomet’. The Devil’s ‘prstomet’ is a sixth finger, an imaginary one, of course. It is the finger that helps you to be the fastest and best. Someone from my band once said “You have the devil’s sixth finger” because I can reach some rather difficult musical phrases and parts on the guitar neck. We all try to reach something that’s unreachable. To go to the next level and climb, like in a video game. But not everything is about virtuosity… We came into this world to grow spiritually. If we don’t grow spiritually, nor can we grow professionally. That’s accepting life as it is, accepting the people around you, changing the things you can change, and coming to terms with those things that you can’t change. As I enter my elder years, I realise that a person shouldn’t rely too much on cognitive reasoning, on that which is imposed on us by reason. Rational judgement doesn’t help in art, but rather mental restlessness, or peace, or inner passion. That inner impulse, to hunt down some things, to head after them, to realise them. On yes, I have a wicked idea, and I’ll solve it by consulting intuition, talent, respecting all obstacles I come across and trying to evade or overcome them. Spiritual growth is what follows us, what is given to us. And it’s good that this is the case…

You’ve recorded almost 40 albums. The album Kao Kakao exploded back in 1987. What was it like to create during those years?

— That had a very strong impact, strong energy. Powerful inspiration. And a bit of survival. The struggle to be or not to be. When it comes to the album Kao kakao, it was a creative explosion and the salvation of the group Leb I Sol…

Is a formal music education essential for someone who has talent and practices hard?

— When it comes to formal education, my late brother, Goran Stefanovski, the famous Macedonian playwright and professor, would say: “I can’t teach you to be an artist. I can teach you a trade. And what you will make yourself is up to you, the artist”. I’m not an opponent of formal education, although I didn’t receive a formal education in music. That’s why I needed a lot longer to master something. Those who have a formal education can reach a solution by plane, while I had to walk, through thorns, which isn’t recommended. But there’s no recipe to become an artist. If you want to become a craftsman, there is a methodology. And you have to provoke yourself if you want to become an artist, to call out yourself. I recommend that young people don’t wander; that they go to school, learn the basics of music, harmony, melody, counterpoint, to read notes.

You launched your solo career in the middle of the 1990s. How did you find the courage to take that step after the great success of the band Leb i Sol?

— I found it restrictive in the band. I couldn’t sell some crazy, unusual ideas to my colleagues at that time. And I decided to head off the beaten track, into the unknown, to go astray. Even if I failed. I also tried various things out of curiosity, trying to make something that wasn’t expected of us. Well, that’s a double-edged sword – it’s either a hit or a miss. In terms of material security in the 1990s, that was a critical juncture for me. I got married, had a baby. And I started thinking about a solo album that would be completely unpredictable, as an experiment. There was no certainty of success, quite the opposite. That was an extremely uncertain risk. You can’t always play like that. But, at some point, you have to pluck up the courage to do something stupid, unexpected, different. You have to be ready for that. As Salvador Dalí said, the most important thing is to disgrace yourself. You can’t follow the beaten track and play it safe. In art? No way! All the greats took the riskiest roads.

It used to be important to record a good album, to have a tour, to generally deal with me; to be good, not to say the best. And even in a social sense, not only in our musical environment, to have a good attitude towards things. It wasn’t politicians on the front pages, but rather musicians

I need to be able to recognise talent and sincerity in someone’s music. I don’t need someone’s ingenuity; their calculated dexterity. Honest, innocent awkwardness is dearer to me; something that’s been made for the first time. Just like the Beatles. Every creation of the Beatles is a universe in and of itself. That’s because they experimented and took lots of risks. There are followers of trends and there are trendsetters. The critics had no idea what Jimi Hendrix was doing with his guitar. They weren’t mature enough back then to understand what he was doing. Nobody sounded or looked like Hendrix. And the audience followed him like sheep to a shepherd. And now everyone is pretending to be clever. Now everyone indulges the audience. That’s not art; that’s the worst mistake. The audience must love who you are, because you’re a trendsetter. The audience can’t tell me what I will play. On the contrary, I will tell them what they should listen to.

If art is meant to testify to the time in which the artist lives and creates, is it necessary for the artist to be a moral person; to advance along a path of virtue?

— Never confuse the work with the artist. That’s because an artist can be a rascal, a gambler; he can be Dostoevsky, he can be indebted, promiscuous. If you boil Miles Davis down to a man who used cocaine, who walked around with a gun and furiously drove his Ferrari around New York… His work is great, but his character was what it was. If you boil John Lennon down to a man who was addicted to heroin, then you’re totally mistaken.

An artist is just a human, with all the human frailties, faults and fears. I tried to keep my private life out of the media. The media are inquisitive; they would love to rummage around one’s bedrooms and closets. That’s not really my cup of tea. Of course, values exist that it isn’t good to humiliate, disrespect and compromise. Love, freedom – those are the main two words. Freedom of spirit, body, movement. Love for plants, animals, people, children, the universe. Love, universal love.

You’ve received numerous accolades and awards for your contribution to music throughout your career. You performed in 2013 with the London Symphony Orchestra (Miroslav Tadić and Teodoski Spasov). Could you share your impressions of that with us? What does it mean for an artist to find himself in the same group as the likes of Deep Purple and Pink Floyd?

— I must admit that it meant a lot to me. While I was waiting to appear on stage, I once again saw that 11-year-old boy that I once was, sitting in the yard, playing an acoustic guitar. The road was long, and I again looked to that little boy who was yearning not for success, but for music, for the guitar; to create something beautiful and to experience that artistic satisfaction.

If the Himalayas exist, if the Mount Everest of artists or musicians exists, it was right then that I climbed to its summit. There are few people who haven’t had a formal education and perform with that orchestra. There are almost none.

How did it come about that the members of Kings of Strings met? How did the idea of teaming up come about?

— That was a great adventure; three guitarists from different backgrounds. One Westerner, Tommy Emanuel, a country and western fingerpicker; one gypsy jazz musician from the Netherlands, Stochelo Rosenberg, a genius on the gypsy jazz guitar; and little old me, the boy from Skopje’s Taftalidža neighbourhood. And those are moments when you cross instruments, exchange life and musical experience, worldviews; when you share taste and knowledge. When you see how people conduct them selves and how much they practice during the day. That was all a big school for me.

Concerts commemorating the 50th anniversary of your career have been announced to take place in Skopje on 14th December, in Belgrade on 16th December and in Zagreb on 18th December. What are you preparing for us?

— I will try to channel my entire life’s journey for that one evening. I won’t make a documentary about myself, I’ll simply invite the friends who’ve made my career and life more beautiful over the years, and who’ve helped me realise some dreams. That will be an acoustic concert, and later an electric one. And they will be different. I’m not a fan of major spectacles, I don’t like too many lights and stage attractions. I love the magic to happen between the people on stage.

I need to be able to recognise talent and sincerity in someone’s music. I don’t need someone’s ingenuity; their calculated dexterity. Honest, innocent awkwardness is dearer to me

Too much emphasis is placed on production today. Well, I’m not going to watch someone’s light show. Pink Floyd did that 35-40 years ago, when they turned a light show into art. Everything is so predictable today. All those scanners, monitors behind the scenes, fireworks and pyrotechnics – it’s all been seen before. I need to see a man on stage who knows something and who feels something. Give me a little knowledge, skill and a bit more emotion. If you can throw me some emotional medallion, I’ll thank you. The concerts that have been most moving to me in my life had precisely that human dimension. Ray Charles in Skopje, a few string players from the Macedonian Philharmonic. His voice and his piano. Pure emotions.

You’re currently preparing your new album, Muscle Memory. Will we hear any of that during the concert?

— Oh yeah, hopefully the album will have been released by then, as I’m approaching the end of production. It will be very interesting. I have some neck-breaking guitar playing, some wondrous stuff.

For the people who follow me, for my fans, it will be a rich chocolate cake of an album. I want to give them a special treat, and to treat myself to a cake for the anniversary.

You’re also preparing memoirs that you plan to publish soon. Will they also come after the jubilee?

— The toughest part will be submitting the material to the publishers, who are pressuring me. I’m almost done, with just a few details left for me to finish. Yes, the memoir follows the jubilee that I’m not celebrating, but rather commemorating. That’s nonetheless an achievement, roaming around forests and mountains for 50 years, around various gigs.

That’s an impossible mission, especially in the Balkans, with its closed roads, borders, roads under construction. Sometimes there’s electricity and sometimes there isn’t. That’s 50 years of serious travel. It’s miles; as they say, it’s not the age, it’s the mileage.

We’re witnessing a veritable flood of tribute bands. How important is it for young people to create original, authentic music? How would you encourage them on that path?

— Bands got old, some died. Only the Stones provide solace… However, on the other hand, all symphony orchestras are actually tribute bands … to Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Stravinsky. And those are tribute gigs and I have nothing against the artistic ones. The problem is that there are increasingly more quick offers with ideas of quick profit. Fast food, fast music. I would hereby encourage young people to borrow phrases and learn from others, from vinyl records, from CDs, from YouTube.

For me, music is the quickest link to connect with the universe, with some cosmic balance. Perfect harmony exists in the universe, in that chaos

But I would encourage them to make new music. The world doesn’t need copies; we need originals. I don’t need someone to perform Dire Straits for me – I saw them play live. Okay, musicians need work and that should be understood. On the other hand, it takes courage and audacity to make original music. And to compel listeners to buy it, to seek it out. I know that’s terribly difficult, but it’s also very sweet. If you manage to offer that audience your taste, your music, and they accept it, then that’s a very sweet victory.

In cooperation with Austrian company Thomastik-Infeld, guitar strings branded with your name and surname will be produced. You are the first artist in these lands to receive this honour…

— I will receive Infeld Strings, Vlatko Stefanovski Choice. I’m really looking forward to that! When I enter the guitar shop, I’m like a pubescent boy from the suburb of Taftalidže. When I see all these toys that I have enough of, but you never say that you have enough. Neither guitars, nor pedals, nor cables, nor amplifiers. That’s always a desire for something more.

The post 50 Years of Virtuosity appeared first on CorD Magazine.

HR. Giger is the pioneer of Fantastic Realism. His artworks are iconic and define the very notion of sci-fi horror. His biomechanical dreamscapes are known for being nightmarish and eerie. Giger was a troubled soul, with many anxieties and fears, which he portrayed perfectly in his artworks. He became widely popular for creating the concept for Alien, Ridley Scott’s horror movie in the late 1970s. However, Giger was not only that. He was a creative genius. Many people worked with him because of his ability and talent to give life even to the most obscure sceneries. Yet, the artist felt tied up, so he created a museum in Switzerland that would fully express his art.

Hans Ruedi Giger was born in 1940 in Chur, Switzerland. In 1962, he moved to Zurich to study Architecture and Industrial Design at the School of Applied Arts. Two years later, he was already producing his first artworks, which were ink drawings and oil paintings, exhibited in his first solo exhibition in 1966. Despite this early success, he gained wider recognition in 1969 when one of his paintings became a poster. Not much later, he discovered the airbrush, which helped him find his personal and distinctive style. Thus, the artist gave birth to surreal biomechanical dreamscapes, full of nightmarish creatures, cramming and agonizing. He was always fascinated by mummies, skulls, and all things creepy, even as a little child.

Dalí introduced the Swiss artist to Alejandro Jodorowsky, a movie director. Jodorowsky hired him to create the concept for his version of Dune in 1965. However, the movie was never made

According to Andreas Hirsch, a curator and close friend of Giger, the artist started drawing at an early age as a means to cope with his recurring nightmares. Additionally, the artist grew up during World War II. He lived near Nazi Germany, and the fear of those times did not leave him unaffected. As he stated, “I could feel the atmosphere when my parents were afraid. The lamps were always a bluish dark so the planes would not bomb us.”

After WWII, the Cold War came, bringing a new fear of atomic warfare. This was another situation that affected the artist deeply, and he tried to ground it by painting. One of Giger’s biggest inspirations was Salvador Dalí. He was deeply fascinated by his Surrealism and the way he distorted figures. Dalí introduced the Swiss artist to Alejandro Jodorowsky, a movie director. Jodorowsky hired him to create the concept for his version of Dune in 1965. However, the movie was never made, and the artist remained outside the film industry for many years.

In 1977, Giger created the book Necronomicon, a dire reference to the one by H. P. Lovecraft. In the book, he illustrated the weirdest creatures that looked like gremlins; there were skeletal aliens gazing over landscapes with heavy mist; distorted bodies in ghost-white tones; even hues one step away from the abyss.

He became widely popular for creating the concept for Alien, Ridley Scott’s horror movie in the late 1970s. However, Giger was not only that. He was a creative genius

The book fell into the hands of Ridley Scott, who at that time, was in the process of creating Alien. Scott lost his breath over Giger’s art and asked him immediately if he would like to be the visual interpreter of the movie. Thus, the Xenomorph was born.

Giger based the alien’s concept on two lithographs from the Necronomicon. They portrayed a metallic-looking freakish creature, whose eggplant-shaped head became the xenomorph’s trademark. The xenomorph also has dripping teeth like stalactites, a sleek and spiky body, and a tail that the creature uses as a weapon. It is a horrific species that comes from the furthest, most despairing parts of space. The Alien left a legacy in the film industry. It has become not only a cultural icon but a point of reference for many horror, sci-fi, and obscure artistic creations today.

Giger won an Oscar in 1980 for Best Achievement in Visual Effects. Soon after, he worked on many other popular movies, such as Species, Alien II and III, Poltergeist II, Batman Forever, and others.

THE GIGER MUSEUM

Despite his great success, Giger felt incomplete because many of his designs could not be used in films. However, it was not until 1998 that he got the chance to finalize his artistic dreams. The artist designed the Giger Museum as an extension of this dream. The popular museum, located in the Château St. Germain, hosts the largest collection of Giger’s paintings, sculptures, furniture, and film designs, from the 1960s until today. The museum’s top floor houses Giger’s private collection. It includes artworks by those who inspired him most, such as Salvador Dalí and Ernst Fuchs. It also features works by Dado, Bruno Weber, Claude Sandoz, Joe Coleman, André Lassen, François Burland, Günter Brus, and many others. Furthermore, down at the bar, Giger placed the Harkonnen chairs and tables, which were designed for the unmade film Dune in 1965.

H. R. Giger passed away on May 12, 2014, in Zurich. His legacy is priceless, as he defined the very concept of space horror, leaving behind an indelible mark on both the art and film industries.

The post A Decade of Legacy appeared first on CorD Magazine.

The jury, composed of prestigious European writers and critics, including Chairwoman Ilma Rakusa, László Márton, Karl-Markus Gauß, Vladislava Gordić Petković, and Mathias Énard, decided that this year’s award recipient is Cécile Wajsbrot, a writer, translator, and journalist from France. She received the International “Aleksandar Tišma” Literary Award for her entire literary oeuvre.

The award was presented to the laureate by the jury chairwoman, Ilma Rakusa. The ceremony featured speeches by the President of Matica Srpska, Dragan Stanić, Andrej Tišma, jury chairwoman Ilma Rakusa, jury members László Márton and Vladislava Gordić Petković, and the manager of the Foundation, Bora Babić. The event was highlighted by an address from the award recipient, Cécile Wajsbrot, who spoke to the audience after receiving her award. The program was moderated by Ana Kukolj Jović.

From Ilma Rakusa’s remarks

“What is art capable of achieving, and what social and moral tasks are appropriate for it? What constitutes its relevance? And how is the artistic process structured? These questions are explored in five novels that form a cycle: Conversations with the Master, The Island of Museums, The Guard, Eclipse, and Destruction.

With her dystopian novel Destruction, Wajsbrot responded to the political trends of recent years—the rise of radical right-wing parties and autocratic regimes, the digital surveillance of citizens, and the targeted spread of fake news. Her novel resembles a terrifying vision of what could already happen to us if the libertarian-democratic order is abolished.

Cécile Wajsbrot masterfully intertwines history and the present into a unique tapestry. With great sensitivity and critical alertness, she records the socio-political changes that threaten our collective life. She always incorporates her own experiences, examining her role as an intellectual and writer. Her confrontation with language is particularly convincing, especially in the novel Nevermore, where the work of language is central to the plot, but also in many of her essays. Wajsbrot advocates for linguistic caution, a nuanced handling of words. For where linguistic coarseness prevails, the society too becomes coarse. It is the task of literature to oppose this.

Even if it seems evident, it must be emphasized—Cécile Wajsbrot writes, thinks, and acts as a woman. Her sensitivity and sense of justice, her gift of observation and her language bear an indelibly feminine imprint. This is important in a world where men still dominate, even in the field of art. In a world threatened by violence and hatred.”

From Cécile Wajsbrot’s Speech Upon Receiving the Award

 “I try to imagine that June day in 1991 when Aleksandar Tišma invited representatives of all religious communities and institutions in Novi Sad, aiming to restore the tradition of communal life among people of different origins and nationalities, a clear sign of a desire for peace. However, the war continued, the war spread. Yet, this gesture demonstrates that literature—those who create it and those who read it—can be a place of togetherness, a place where we do not fear the other but invite and welcome them.

When the Iron Curtain still existed, literature was my bridge, with novels written, as we used to say, ‘on the other side.’ Names that French people could hardly pronounce appeared in bookstores, not always prominently displayed, such as Hrabal, Konwicki, Danilo Kiš, Tatarka, Tišma, and Kadare. From them, I learned that it was possible to write novels that encompass the history of one’s own country, and its darkest moments, at a time when we in France were embarking on the great adventure of exploring language and the self. These works encouraged me to seek my own path—that third narrative—off the beaten track, and, like all detours, it took time to find my way. In truth, I did not find it; I forged it. Only in my book Memorial, published in 2005, did the sounds of a tuned instrument emerge, accompanied by the music I wanted to compose.

Memorial. Almost twenty years have passed. I was returning from a trip to Poland where I visited Kielce, the birthplace of my family, on both my mother’s and father’s side. I did not know what I was searching for there, but I did not find it. The river into which the bodies of pogrom victims were thrown seemed so small, so calm… Beware of still waters, they say.”

The post The International “Aleksandar Tišma” Literary Award ceremoniously presented to French writer Cécile Wajsbrot appeared first on CorD Magazine.

Srdjan Bajić is a name that resonates profoundly within the contemporary art scene, particularly in the realm of sculpture. Known for his abstract and thought-provoking works, Bajić has carved a niche for himself as a pivotal figure in Serbian and international art. His sculptures not only adorn public spaces but also provoke deep contemplation about identity, history, and the intricate relationship between public and private spheres.

Born in 1957 in Belgrade, Serbia, Bajić’s journey into the world of art began at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, where he honed his skills and developed his unique artistic language. Over the decades, he has built an impressive portfolio that includes public monuments, gallery installations, and collaborative projects, each reflecting his distinct style and thematic preoccupations.

Bajić’s sculptures are characterized by their abstract forms and the use of a variety of materials, including metal, wood, and synthetic substances. His works often explore themes of transformation and the passage of time, as well as the interplay between natural and man-made environments. This thematic versatility is matched by his ability to adapt his style to different contexts, making his works both site-specific and universally resonant.

One of the most striking aspects of Bajić’s work is his exploration of identity. This theme is particularly pertinent given the complex historical and political landscape of Serbia. Through his sculptures, Bajić delves into questions of national and personal identity, often blurring the lines between the two. His works serve as a medium for expressing the collective memory of a nation, while also inviting viewers to reflect on their own identities.

Bajić’s public sculptures are among his most notable contributions. These works are not only artistic statements but also serve as landmarks within their respective environments. One of his most significant projects is the “Laws of the Border” series, a collection of sculptures installed at the Sava River in Belgrade. This series examines the concept of borders—not just physical ones, but also the psychological and cultural boundaries that define human experience.

Another prominent work is his collaboration with architect Maja Bajić on the “Memory Pillar” project, a public monument dedicated to the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia. This work, located in the Belgrade district of Vračar, combines architectural and sculptural elements to create a poignant memorial that encourages reflection and remembrance.

Bajić’s work is not confined to public spaces. His gallery installations offer a more intimate engagement with his themes and materials. The “Inner Spaces” series, for example, consists of smaller-scale sculptures that explore the concept of interiority and personal space. These works invite viewers to consider the boundaries between public and private life and the ways in which these boundaries are navigated and negotiated.

Bajić’s influence extends beyond the borders of Serbia. He has exhibited extensively across Europe, with shows in cities such as Paris, Berlin, and Venice. His participation in international biennales and exhibitions has earned him a reputation as a leading figure in contemporary sculpture. His works are included in the collections of several major museums and galleries, further cementing his status in the global art community.

One of the highlights of his international career was his participation in the Venice Biennale, where his work was featured in the Serbian Pavilion.

This exhibition provided a global platform for Bajić to showcase his unique artistic vision and to engage with an international audience.

Over the years, Bajić has received numerous awards and honors in recognition of his artistic achievements. These accolades include the prestigious October Salon Award, the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, and the Vladislav Ribnikar Award for Visual Arts. These honors reflect not only his artistic talent but also his contribution to the cultural landscape of Serbia and beyond.

Mrdjan Bajić’s work continues to inspire new generations of artists. His ability to merge the personal with the political, and the abstract with the concrete, sets him apart as a visionary sculptor. His sculptures are more than mere objects; they are dialogues between the artist and the viewer, the individual and the collective, the past and the present.

As he continues to create and exhibit, Bajić remains a vital force in the art world. His commitment to exploring complex themes through sculpture ensures that his work will endure, inviting future generations to engage with the questions and ideas that shape our world.

In conclusion, Mrdjan Bajić’s contributions to contemporary sculpture are both profound and far-reaching. His works, which span public monuments and intimate gallery pieces, offer rich insights into the themes of identity, history, and the interplay between public and private spaces. Through his sculptures, Bajić not only reflects the complexities of the Serbian experience but also engages with universal themes that resonate across cultures and contexts.

The post Sculpting the Serbian Identity appeared first on CorD Magazine.

His first name, Namik, comes from the Arabic language and means ’one who writes beautifully’. But this means beautiful in the calligraphic sense and not necessarily in terms of content. As our interlocutor explains himself, “I actually write terribly, if you’re refer to my handwriting. With me, it’s not pretty cursive, but rather ugly cursive. I nevertheless write some books that are read, so that’s a bit of a saving grace.” The surname Kabil is said to have originated in the Kabylia region, located between Tunisia and Algeria. At some point in history, part of the population of Kabyle and the Berber tribes moved to Spain, then relocated to the Montenegrin town of Risan with the Sephardic Jews, and later moved from Risan to the city of Trebinje in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Namik’s father, Faruk Kabil, was a renowned doctor in Trebinje and across Eastern Herzegovina, while his mother, Suada, was a teacher who gave up her job to take care of the house and their daughter Lamia and son Namik, because her husband spent most of his time with his patients. Namik’s wife, Sanja, is originally from Zenica and works for UNICEF in Sarajevo. Together they have an 11-year-old daughter, Esma. Namik says that he was spoiled as a child, both at home and in the city.

“But I luckily wasn’t a delinquent; I didn’t crash the car or get into fights, but I was sufficiently indulged at every turn, as male children used to be indulged in a patriarchal upbringing. It was only later, when I went to America, that I realised that spoiling had done me a disservice, because I subsequently saw how unprepared for more serious life challenges I really was. I grew up in a house where people sang, ate well, drank and laughed a lot. And that very warmth that I carried with me from home is one of the most important things in life generally for me. It seems to me that it created the emotional stability that enabled me to endure and survive life’s challenges, which I sometimes found scary and very demanding.”

His father, Faruk, moved from Trebinje to Sarajevo to study, completed medical studies and landed a job in Tuzla, only to return to Trebinje with his family in 1975, when Namik enrolled in the first year of primary school.

“My early memories from Tuzla are foggy, but I refreshed some of them when I returned to that city in 1990. I had gone there to study medicine, but unsuccessfully, as it would later turn out. Some element of unconscious identification certainly prevailed in me making such a decision. Specifically, my father was the only specialist ear, nose and throat doctor in Eastern Herzegovina. He was a very powerful man in that microcosm, and I probably wanted to be like that too. But medicine is difficult and demanding to study, and I struggled with my inner artistic demons throughout the entire time that I was studying. Then came the war. Everything stopped and I left for America.”

He attended Santa Monica College, Los Angeles City College, UCLA Extension, all of which were based in Los Angeles. And to that he adds:

“That’s why, from today’s perspective, I also consider myself a ‘war profiteer’ because without the war I’d probably have ended up in some more dubious situation and my life would be a tapestry of indecision. I had already wasted years and money attempting to study medicine, without anyone really forcing me to do so. On the contrary, my father would say that I wouldn’t succeed because medicine “demands that you sit and cram for fifteen hours, while you prefer to talk like some lawyer”. He was ultimately satisfied when I dropped out of medical studies, because he was also an artistic soul who played music, sang and loved books. In the end, he said that he was happy that I dealt with such refined things as literature and film, as opposed to examining people and having to look at blood. He forgave me for both the money and time I spent stumbling around Tuzla.”

I’m a provincial child, a troubadour and a fisherman, who just happened to find himself in Los Angeles

Namik says that he inherited his father’s obsession for his work. If he dedicates himself to something, then he does so with all his power, until he reaches that which will satisfy him as a result. And just as his mother was once a top cook, so he enjoys himself in the kitchen today, making various specialities. His parents weren’t formally religious people, but they observed the holidays. They would sometimes spend the days of Ramadan fasting, but Eid al-Fitr was celebrated regularly.

“That was more of a celebration that provided an occasion for a family gathering. What I have left of that identity today, which is more atavistic, is that I don’t eat pork. But that’s more of a legacy than something I really understand, because I’m ultimately quite a sinful man in that formal sense.”

Namik wrote his first poem – about Tito – in the third year of primary school in Trebinje! And he continued to write, or rather to scribble, as he says, which was childish frivolity and abstraction. He felt that he had creative energy early on, but it was neither channelled nor articulated.

“I later had a band, wrote songs, while I only started writing my first serious prose in America, publishing them in some non-commercial magazines. I then wrote the screenplay for the feature film Days and Hours [original title Kod amidže Idriza], which furthered my career, while it was simultaneously a reason for me to return… This time to Sarajevo.”

The film Days and Hours, directed by Pjer Žalica, quickly gained a large audience, and for Namik it marked the start of the work that he wanted to do. He entered the world of art in a big way and was happy that his film was so well received by the public and is still being screened today. Namik’s books represent a kind of inventory of a life that was determined by war as a turning point. The war destroyed, changed and determined the lives of the people about whom he writes, and primarily presents to readers his life from Tuzla, via Trebinje, Dubrovnik, Sarajevo and Los Angeles, then back to Sarajevo. With remnants in Trebinje in the form of the family home that marks the start of his latest novel, Beskućnik [Vagabond].

He fled to America with the outbreak of war in 1993, only to return nine years later.

“I am a deserter in my soul, I mean that I’m primarily a selfish coward. I couldn’t see myself fighting in any army, on any side. I simply ran from the war with my head, regardless of everything. I found America difficult and demanding, particularly since I hadn’t previously prepared for that kind of challenge. That’s because I’m a provincial child, a troubadour and a fisherman, who just happened to find himself in Los Angeles. To be clear, I didn’t go there to work on films; I didn’t have any kinds of visions or concepts, I just fled.

“I first fled from Trebinje in 1991, due to the military mobilisation. When the Yugoslav People’s Army started buying people, grouping them to head towards Dubrovnik, for something that was called an ‘exercise’, it was immediately clear that they wouldn’t stop there. They had yet to send me an invitation to join, but my father told me that the situation certainly wouldn’t end quickly and that I should flee. And that’s how it was. As soon as I left Trebinje, they came looking for me twice. I went to Tuzla, where they weren’t able to mobilise me because I wasn’t registered. I fled from there to Zagreb, where I had no source of income to live from, and it was there that I realised I had to start all over again. And that’s how I ended up going to America.”

The political elite very consciously retain the trauma of war “at a working temperature”, because that forms the basis of their rule

The cover photo for Beskućnik, published by Novi Sad publishing company Akademska knjiga, is signed with the name of his father – Faruk Kabil.

“I selected it instinctively. That photo was taken by my father in the early 1980s. The picture was taken in the village of Pridvorci near Trebinje. I’m the boy pictured from behind and I’m looking at the man holding the horse, whose name is Isak Bračković, and he was the one who saved the photo. I remember only that we were at his parents’ farm and he was holding a horse that was being groomed, and I watched it all as my father took the picture. He also dealt with amateur photography and developed the film and made the picture himself, and I only discovered it a year ago and decided to put it on the cover page. My friend and professional photographer Amer Kapetanović, who lives in Sweden, said when he saw the photo in the book: ‘You are watching this man tell the horse where it belongs, and the horse doesn’t agree. It’s as if he wants to tell the man where he belongs.’ That sounded like a precise explanation to me, because the book is about where we belong, among other things; about where we should and shouldn’t be, where we’ve been, where we no longer are, what we’re nostalgic about and what we aren’t, while we’re either happy or bitter about everything. However, as usually happens in life, everything is mixed together in some proportions that aren’t so clear.

Two of Namik’s books are named after famous films: Amarcord and The Shining, while one is named after the famous Beatles song Yesterday… He explains why.

“Amarcord is one of my favourite films, and Fellini is one of the dearest directors. In the book I dealt with memory and the film Amarcord was the first association for the title of the book. It might have initially sounded a bit pretentious, but I decided it was the right choice. I’m generally very interested in cover versions of songs, or when one covers a well-known topic, such that it both is and isn’t what it once was. When U2 singer Bono was asked about Johnny Cash’s cover version of the song One, he replied: “If Johnny Cash covers one of your songs, it’s no longer yours; it’s a new song”. There’s also that urge to take something that’s well known, that has a general place in the collective memory, and to make it into something that’s your own. That was the case with me in Amarcord and The Shining, while Yesterday is based on that song title thematically. As Miljenko Jergović said about this novel, these are yesterday’s people, people from yesterday who simply can’t accept that time has passed. I have long been addressing a traumatised time, through various books, and the way people always look back and think it was better before, which is naturally always very personal and subjective. But that isn’t linked only to these lands of ours, as people have always had an urge to look back, because – when it’s fully stripped bare – we certainly won’t die in the past, while in the future we will.”

He recalls Yugoslavia and living an intense life growing up in that country, while he also served in the Yugoslav People’s Army.

“In my recollections, completely privately and subjectively, that Yugoslavia was a better place to live than these countries are today. Of course, there’s some truth to the statement that people don’t remember Yugoslavia, but rather they remember their youth. We were young and everything seemed rosy. However, I think that there was more order, more systems that functioned, we were at a higher civilisational level than we are now. And when I say that I’m referring to the whole region.

“There’s a very good and useful book written by Snježana Kordić, called Language and Nationalism. Through the story of language, she provided a broader picture of things. Say, for example, the fact that nationalists, as a rule, underline the differences in our language varieties doesn’t mean that there aren’t many more similarities. But they deliberately ignore them.”

In the book Amarcord, Namik mentions Slobodan Milošević from the period of his rule in Serbia, and that seems to have been the author’s first encounter with politics from the late 1980s and the very start of the ‘90s.

“I felt that as a young man in Trebinje. I wasn’t able to articulate it, but you know that sense that something’s rumbling over the hill, that some tensions are building. That was my first personal encounter with nationalism. Milošević called those years the ‘Years of Unravelling’ in his own book, and I would say that those were years of both unravelling and entanglement. Now, after everything has passed, we see that it was much easier to enter into misdeeds and crimes, and much more difficult to overcome them politically and especially spiritually. In order to overcome them, you have to have an academic and social format, while the engagement of the entire social community and confrontation must be implied, and we know how far we are from that. In order to become a criminal, it is enough just to be inhumane. To go to your neighbour’s house and set it on fire. I personally – and I would say as a layman – don’t think that the Hague Tribunal is a real court, but God forbid it didn’t exist. What alternative could we offer after the crimes committed in these lands? And would we ever even offer such an alternative? Unlikely.”

Namik has the habit of saying that a man doesn’t know rock bottom until he hits it, after his life in LA collapsed completely. But the good thing is that nothing else is difficult after such an experience. Working on the streets was a dangerous job that he certainly would never have chosen if he hadn’t been forced into it. He adapted his taxi driving to his studies. He endured difficult days and years, feeling intimidated and insecure. After his American experience, he says: “Today, as a sailor, I try to use every wind that blows to head in the direction I desire”.

I have long been addressing a traumatised time, through various books

The war, which he experienced for ten months before leaving for America, is still an indescribable experience for him. “Those are the kinds of situations when you go to a kiosk, buy cigarettes and walk on, then a grenade falls and kills the man who sold you cigarettes. When that fear builds up within you, then you know the difference between the benign fears you had as a child, and the much harsher fear I discovered when the war began. You can live with a benign fear, while the other fear messes with your head.”

Since 2009, Namik has been employed as the editor of Documentary Programming at Federal Television in Sarajevo:

“If I hadn’t had that period of squirming at the bottom in America, I perhaps wouldn’t value the job I do today as much. After America, nothing is difficult for me anymore, and I’m very happy that I do this job. Setting aside the crazy fact that I live in a country like Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has three public services. That’s like imagining England with three BBCs! One can often hear the metaphor that the Dayton Agreement is a straitjacket that stopped the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and should never have been brought to life as a peacetime constitution.

But since 1995, when the war formally ended, this country hasn’t come to life as a normal society. We are still plagued by relapses towards the tragic war. And it’s certainly no coincidence that war themes are still current in literature, cinematography and art in general. In Mostar, for example, within a radius of 300 metres, you have no consensus on what happened in that city, and that’s just one obvious example. The political elite, or the political cabal that rules, knows very well that people are traumatised and very consciously retain the trauma of war “at a working temperature”, because it is on that basis that they rule. The people watch and listen to the news, we also apathetically allow politicians to intimidate us all these years, as if we really believe that everything is the way they say it is.”

The post Relapses Towards the Tragic War Still Plague Us appeared first on CorD Magazine.

He once described the novel as “the only place in the world where two strangers can meet on terms of absolute intimacy.” His unique realm of chance, mystery, wonder, and happenstance resonated deeply with readers, creating a sense of personal connection and admiration.

Auster’s writing, while often bizarre and uncanny, felt to his readers like truth-telling with mesmerizing force. He restored the realm of miracles and fateful catastrophes to American literature, frequently quoting philosopher Pascal’s assertion that “it is not possible to have a reasonable belief against miracles.” Despite his reputation as a postmodern sorcerer of prose, he was also a sociable figure in the New York literary scene, known for his warm storytelling and agile wit. For four decades, he lived in Brooklyn with his second wife, writer Siri Hustvedt, with whom he shared a close literary partnership.

Auster’s career was marked by the same element of chance that drove his stories. His breakthrough work, City of Glass (1985), part of the New York Trilogy, launched him to fame after 17 rejections. Despite being perceived as a cool cult author, his pseudonymous earlier work, Squeeze Play (1982), a baseball-based crime caper under the name “Paul Benjamin,” revealed another facet of his talent. Auster’s love for baseball and his childhood disappointment at missing out on an autograph from his idol Willie Mays highlighted his human side. “I had quick reflexes and a strong arm – but my throws were often wild,” he once reminisced, reflecting on his early passion for the sport.

Oster restored the realm of miracles and fateful catastrophes to American literature, frequently quoting philosopher Pascal’s assertion that “it is not possible to have a reasonable belief against miracles”

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Auster’s early life and cultural experiences deeply influenced his work. His parents, Queenie (née Bogat) and Samuel Auster, were children of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. They set him on a path of upward mobility through education, though they remained enigmatic figures to him. His memoir The Invention of Solitude (1982) was an attempt to understand his father’s impenetrable life. Ghostly fathers would become a recurring theme in his work. At the age of 14, Auster witnessed a peer struck by lightning, an event that became a paradigm for the unpredictable nature of life, and this theme permeated his later novel 4321 (2017), which explores the concept of alternate realities.

At Columbia University, Auster studied literature and participated in the 1968 student protests before moving to Paris to work as a translator of French poetry. Living in a literal garret with writer Lydia Davis, he scraped by, returning to New York in 1974 with only nine dollars to his name. After marrying and subsequently divorcing Davis, with whom he had a son, Daniel, Auster continued to struggle financially. His memoir Hand to Mouth: A Chronicle of Early Failure (1997) captures these years of hardship.

In 1982, he married novelist and essayist Siri Hustvedt, who became his first reader and trusted guide. Together, they had a daughter, Sophie. Their home in Brooklyn became a hub of literary creativity, with Auster writing in longhand before editing on his cherished Olympia typewriter. Hustvedt’s influence and support were instrumental in Auster’s prolific output. The success of the New York Trilogy (Ghosts and The Locked Room followed a year after City of Glass) solidified Auster’s status, attracting both celebrity and new opportunities. He ventured into screenwriting for arthouse films like Smoke and Blue in the Face (both 1995) and even directed The Inner Life of Martin Frost (2007). His fiction, characterized by its enigmatic and hallucinatory aura, reached new heights with novels like The Music of Chance, Leviathan, and Mr Vertigo. Although some works leaned towards whimsy, stronger novels like The Brooklyn Follies (2005) continued to reflect contemporary American life with acute insight.

Paul Auster’s literary legacy is one of a world where the magic of chance and the reality of human emotion coexist. His works continue to resonate with readers, ensuring his place in the pantheon of great American writers

Auster was not only a literary figure but also an active participant in current affairs. He held office in the writers’ organization PEN, vehemently opposed the rise of Donald Trump, and often spoke about the core schism in American society between ruthless individualism and communal responsibility. His commitment to political engagement was evident in his writings and public statements.

The ferocity of fate that scars Auster’s work also marked his personal life. Diagnosed with cancer in 2023, he continued to be prolific, publishing an impassioned essay on America’s gun culture, Bloodbath Nation, and his farewell novel, Baumgartner, in the same year. His final works reflect his enduring engagement with themes of grief, loss, and the unpredictability of life.

Paul Auster’s literary legacy is one of a world where the magic of chance and the reality of human emotion coexist. His works continue to resonate with readers, ensuring his place in the pantheon of great American writers. He is survived by his wife Siri Hustvedt, daughter Sophie, grandson, and sister Janet.

The post Master of Fiction and Fate appeared first on CorD Magazine.

Two names stand out like beacons in the expansive universe of music festivals: Coachella in the United States and EXIT in Serbia. These festivals, worlds apart in location, culture, and history, converge on a common goal: to celebrate music, art, and the collective spirit of humanity. Coachella and EXIT are not just festivals; they are cultural landmarks that have redefined what it means to experience live music.

COACHELLA: THE DESERT DREAM

Nestled in the sun-baked Coachella Valley of California, Coachella is a festival that has become synonymous with cultural zeitgeist. Since its debut in 1999, Coachella has transcended the boundaries of a traditional music festival, morphing into a cultural phenomenon that attracts the world’s biggest names in music and art.

Coachella is famed for its eclectic and star-studded lineups, offering a genre-spanning mix from rock and indie to hip-hop and electronic dance music. Legends like Beyoncé, Radiohead, and Kanye West have graced its stages, making it a pilgrimage site for music aficionados. It’s not just a festival; it’s a statement.

Beyond its musical allure, Coachella is an artistic haven. The festival is adorned with immersive art installations and avant-garde sculptures, transforming the desert into a vibrant playground of creativity. Fashion at Coachella is equally legendary, with attendees setting global trends with bold and eclectic styles.

EXIT: THE FORTRESS OF FREEDOM

On the other side of the globe, the EXIT Festival offers a unique yet equally enthralling experience. Set in the historic Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia, EXIT’s roots are steeped in activism and social change. Founded in 2000 as a student protest against political oppression, EXIT has blossomed into one of Europe’s most revered music festivals.

EXIT’s lineups are a dynamic mix, featuring everything from rock and electronic to hip-hop and reggae. The festival has hosted iconic acts like The Prodigy, Guns N’ Roses, and David Guetta, drawing a global crowd. The setting within the Petrovaradin Fortress adds a layer of enchantment, with stages nestled against ancient walls overlooking the Danube River.

EXIT’s genesis in activism continues to shape its ethos. The festival promotes social and environmental causes, urging attendees to engage in activism and community projects. This commitment to change has garnered EXIT numerous accolades, including the “Best Major Festival” at the European Festival Awards.

While Coachella and EXIT share global appeal and high-profile lineups, their atmospheres and cultural impacts are distinct.

Coachella’s desert landscape offers an open, expansive experience, transforming polo fields into a musical utopia. EXIT’s fortress location provides a more intimate, historical ambience, with stages woven into the ancient architecture, offering stunning panoramic views.

Coachella is a trendsetter, influencing global music, fashion, and art. Its proximity to Hollywood ensures a steady influx of celebrities and influencers, making it a media spectacle. EXIT, conversely, is a bastion of inclusivity and social change, attracting a diverse crowd committed to activism and community engagement.

Both festivals attract international audiences. With its glamorous allure and high-profile acts, Coachella is a magnet for the elite. EXIT, known for its activist roots and inclusive spirit, draws a global crowd seeking entertainment and meaningful engagement.

Coachella and EXIT are more than festivals; they are cultural institutions. Whether you’re drawn to the sun-soaked, trendsetting vibes of Coachella or the historic, activist spirit of EXIT, both offer unparalleled experiences. The choice between Coachella and EXIT hinges on what you seek—the desert’s artistic dreams or the fortress of freedom’s call to action.

The post Inside the Worlds of Coachella and EXIT appeared first on CorD Magazine.

The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics are set to be an extraordinary celebration of sport, featuring over 10,500 athletes from more than 200 nations. The iconic Olympic flame will arrive in Paris, marking the start of the Games on 26th July, with events running until 11th August. This historic occasion will see the city of Paris, renowned for its rich cultural heritage and stunning landmarks, transform into the epicentre of global sporting excellence.

Organisers anticipate an impressive turnout, with over 10 million spectators expected to witness the event in person. The influx of visitors will not only fill the stadiums but will also contribute to a vibrant and bustling atmosphere throughout the city.

Paris is ready to welcome the world with open arms, showcasing its readiness through meticulous preparations that have been years in the making.

PARALYMPIC GAMES AND INCLUSIVITY

The Paralympic Games, set to follow from 28th August to 8th September, will showcase the incredible talents of athletes with disabilities, further emphasising the inclusive spirit of the Olympic movement. Special initiatives have been put in place to support vulnerable groups, ensuring that everyone can partake in the excitement and inspiration of the Games. The Paralympic Games will highlight the resilience and determination of these athletes, promoting a message of equality and empowerment.

NEW DISCIPLINES AND ICONIC VENUES

Among the exciting new disciplines added to the roster are breaking, skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing, which reflect the evolving nature of global sports interests and the aim to engage younger audiences. These additions are set to captivate spectators with their dynamic and contemporary appeal.

The Games will utilise iconic venues across Paris, including the newly constructed Aquatics Centre and the historic Stade de France. The stunning backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées, and the Seine will provide unforgettable settings for the various events.

ECONOMIC IMPACT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

The economic impact of the Games is significant, with an estimated boost of €10 billion to the French economy. This includes investments in infrastructure, tourism, and various sectors benefiting from the global attention.

Paris has been meticulously preparing for this grand occasion, with infrastructural developments that include the construction of new sports facilities and enhancements to public transport systems. The upgrades are designed to ensure a seamless experience for both athletes and spectators, with a focus on sustainability and efficiency.

VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

One of the standout features of Paris 2024 is its commitment to sustainability and inclusivity, aligning with the core Olympic principles of excellence, friendship, and respect. The Games will employ around 45,000 volunteers, whose dedication will be crucial to the smooth operation of events and the overall experience of athletes and visitors. These volunteers, drawn from diverse backgrounds, will embody the spirit of the Games, offering support and hospitality to all participants.

CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Paris itself will be a major attraction, with landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, and Notre-Dame Cathedral offering a rich cultural experience for visitors. The city’s vibrant arts scene, culinary delights, and historic sites will provide a plethora of activities for tourists to enjoy alongside the Olympic events. Parisian cafes, boutiques, and open-air markets will add to the charm and allure, making the visit a holistic experience of sports, culture, and leisure.

LEGACY AND SUSTAINABILITY

The legacy of Paris 2024 extends beyond the immediate economic benefits. The Games aim to leave a lasting impact on the city and its residents through sustainable practices and community engagement.

Initiatives such as the construction of eco-friendly venues, promotion of public transportation, and efforts to reduce the carbon footprint are integral to the planning of the event. These measures are designed to ensure that the positive effects of the Games are felt long after the closing ceremony.

ANTICIPATED REVENUE AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS

The economic benefits of hosting the Olympics are immense. France expects to generate significant revenue from tourism, broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and merchandise sales. The estimated economic boost of €10 billion will support local businesses, create jobs, and stimulate growth in various sectors. Additionally, the international exposure will enhance France’s reputation as a premier destination for future events and tourism.

CORE OLYMPIC PRINCIPLES

The Paris 2024 Olympics will uphold the core principles of the Olympic movement: excellence, friendship, and respect. These values will be evident in the organisation, conduct, and spirit of the Games. The emphasis on inclusivity and sustainability reflects the broader goals of the Olympics to foster global unity and promote a better future through sport.

Overall, Paris 2024 promises to be a landmark event, not just for its sporting excellence but for its celebration of diversity, unity, and the shared human spirit. The preparations and the anticipated impact highlight the significance of the Games in bringing together people from all walks of life to celebrate the pinnacle of human athletic achievement and the enduring power of sports to unite the world.

The post A Celebration of Sport and Unity appeared first on CorD Magazine.

The sixth edition of the French Film Festival was officially opened last night in Belgrade at Kosančićev Venac with the screening of the film Les Misérables, attended by director Ladj Ly and lead actor Alexis Manenti. This year’s festival patron is the renowned actor and director Dragan Bjelogrlić.

The French Film Festival, showcasing the latest achievements in French cinema, will run until 23rd June. In addition to Belgrade, audiences in Novi Sad, Niš, and Zrenjanin will also have the opportunity to enjoy the films. Belgrade has added a new venue for screenings this year, the Belgrade Garden in Zvezdara, a park fondly remembered by locals as the site of an open-air cinema. Other traditional locations include Kosančićev Venac, Silos, the Plateau between the two towers at Ušće, and the MTS Hall.

As with previous editions, this year’s festival features several films from the Cannes Film Festival selection. In anticipation of the Olympic Games in France, the festival will also include films on the theme of sports, paying homage to this global sporting event.

Traditionally, the French Film Festival is supported by Mlekoprodukt, part of the Savencia Fromage & Dairy group, which enhanced the festive atmosphere with a tasting of authentic Ile de France French cheeses.

Mlekoprodukt’s participation in this significant cultural event celebrating French film art is a testament to their commitment to social responsibility principles through active support of culture and international artistic collaboration.

The post Ile de France Supports French Film Festival appeared first on CorD Magazine.

The Embassy of Finland had pleasure to welcome the guests from Finland, Emilia Hernesniemi, director of “Radical Creatives”, and Šaban Ramadani, actor in the same film and audio-visual artist, who participated in the panel together with Žarko Aleksić, professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Lidija Ristić, an artist and founder of I:BICA, who at the same time had a role of panel moderator.

After a successful panel discussion on the role and importance of creativity, in which the audience actively participated, we could conclude that creativity, combined with trust and respect for diversity, shows innovative power in teams, organizations and the whole world.

On this occasion, the Embassy of Finland organized a cocktail for the panel participants.

The post Documentary “Radical Creatives” Followed by a Panel On Creativity in Belgrade appeared first on CorD Magazine.

The Ashmolean Museum of Oxford, which acquired the statue in 1967, only discovered in 2019 through archival research that it originated from a temple in Tamil Nadu, India. This realization led to collaborative efforts with Indian authorities, culminating in the Oxford University Council’s March 2024 decision to repatriate the artefact.

The move is part of a broader shift among global institutions facing calls to return artefacts acquired under dubious circumstances during the colonial era or later. Notably, Oxford had previously agreed in 2022 to return 99 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, looted by British soldiers in 1897.

The return of the Hindu saint statue is another stride toward rectifying historical wrongs, highlighting the growing awareness and efforts to combat the illicit antiquities trade and preserve cultural heritage.

The post Oxford University to Return Stolen 500-Year-Old Hindu Saint Statue to India appeared first on CorD Magazine.

Serbia will welcome over 120 countries to share their interpretations of the theme, reflecting the profound role of play in human development and contemporary life. Dušan Borovčanin, director of EXPO 2027 d.o.o., highlighted the significance of play, noting its importance in education, science, technology, sports, and music. “The idea is to remind ourselves of the importance of play, not just as a developmental tool from childhood but also as a fundamental part of our lives today,” said Borovčanin.

The expo aims to address global challenges through its theme by promoting interaction, community, and creativity—essential qualities in today’s world. It also seeks to create an interactive event that actively involves visitors in various activities, making it a unique and memorable experience. Borovčanin expressed excitement about the potential for diverse and engaging presentations from the participating nations.

As Serbia prepares to host its first major international exhibition of this scale, the Expo 2027 is set to be a landmark event that not only celebrates the universality of play but also encourages a deeper understanding of global cultures and traditions.

The post Belgrade Prepares for Expo 2027 with a Focus on Play and Creativity appeared first on CorD Magazine.