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Begić: Cultural heritage is a matter of identity, we must protect it

Miran Begić

Some of the most recognizable Montenegrin songs are so true in their tune and lyrics that their sensibility remains engraved for the rest of our lives. Therefore, the Montenegrin authentic music tells that our country is honest, courageous, in need for true love and affection, Mr Miran Begić, our famous violinist, a university professor and director of the Espressivo Art Festival, says in an interview for the weekend edition of Dnevne Novine daily. This summer, Esspresivo will be presenting the event of the season in classical music and will be hosting some of the world’s renowned artists.

Mr Begić was commenting on the attempts of appropriating our cultural heritage, noting that it’s up to us to prevent it through the current process of protection of intangible cultural heritage. It’s a complex and demanding task, he said, especially when it comes to the overlapping of cultural heritage in the region and the South Slavs.

He underlined that the Cetinje Music Academy has already started the process of recording and digitalization of intangible cultural heritage in cooperation with the University of Montenegro and the Ministry of Science. “As I have already said, it is a responsible, complex and time-consuming process that will give us the real insight into the best and most authentic thing that Montenegro possesses as a cultural wealth.“

Mr Begić recently went to Argentina where he met many descendants of our immigrants: “I had the opportunity to meet with some high-ranking people of the Montenegrin community in Argentina and it was so touching. A huge attachment to the homeland and nostalgia culminated in concerts where I played songs of Boro Tamindzic. My next trip to South America will include some other countries as well, such as Paraguay and Uruguay.”

As for the cultural education of young people, he noted: “There are many methods to get them interested or at least to make them think that there is music that resists every time and trend, as their education and life should be – resistant to cheap external influences and upright in every possible situation.”

When it comes to the future plans “there are so many of them – from recording a CD with Predrag Janković to the new professional developments, PhD, work on self-improvement …and all that to be transferred to my students who will be working this job better than me. And then I’ll think I really made it!”

 

 

 

 

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