Selakovic: Serbia committed to preserving cultural heritage and to int'l cooperation

SAMARKAND - Serbian Culture Minister Nikola Selakovic said at the UNESCO General Conference session in Samarkand on Friday that Serbia remained strongly committed to preservation of cultural heritage, development of education and innovation, as well as to strengthening UNESCO's role in promotion of dialogue, peace and international cooperation, and appealed to the organisation to help to protect and preserve the Serbian cultural heritage in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija.

At the session, which brought together representatives of nearly 200 countries, Selakovic said that, in the modern world, characterised by numerous challenges and growing divisions, it was necessary to preserve the original UNESCO values - multilateralism, mutual respect and "intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity."

He noted that Serbia attached great importance to protecting its own cultural and religious heritage, especially in Kosovo-Metohija, where, for a long time now, centuries-old Serbian holy sites have been facing pressure, attacks and attempts to create a false historic identity.

"The Visoki Decani, the Patriarchate of Pec and Gracanica monasteries and the Church of the Mother of God of Ljevis are not only spiritual and historical centres of the Serbs, but also a part of the world cultural heritage. It is impermissible that places like those are still surrounded by barbed wire and under military protection, rather than being spaces of peace and prayer that are accessible to the faithful," Selakovic said.

He called on the international community and UNESCO to continue to provide protection to those monuments of universal significance.

Selakovic said Serbia kept pointing to the difficult situation and the danger faced by the Serbian cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo-Metohija, stressing that, "for decades, those living witnesses of the Serbs' national identity and culture of remembrance have been targeted by arson attacks, destruction and desecration."

He noted that some of the holy sites were endowments and the final resting places of Serbian kings and saints as well as active temples of the Serbian Orthodox Church that had been on the endangered world heritage list for 20 years now.

"They represent the core of the spirituality of the Serbian nation and pillars of its history and identity. It is unacceptable that they are still targeted by attacks, surrounded by barbed wire and guarded by KFOR troops. Attempts to erase history, falsify facts and rename Serbian heritage to 'Albanian', 'Ilyrian' or something similar are impermissible," Selakovic said.

It is impermissible that the birthplace of the Serbian Orthodox Church is inaccessible to its patriarch and the majority of its faithful, Selakovic noted, appealing to the international community and all relevant organisations, above all, UNESCO, to help to protect and safeguard the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo-Metohija.