WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR: M.J.
The cultural evening "Montenegro in Italy, through time", which was organized in cooperation with the Association Italia-Montenegro "Regina Elena", with the support of the Municipality of Kotor, was held last night in Kotor.
The evening was filled with special emotion, a reminder that women had and still have a key role in shaping society, as well as that their contribution, both then and today, is invaluable. They talked about important women from Montenegro who left a deep mark in Italy. , like Queen Jelena of Savoy, Ana Marija Marović and Darinka Leković Donadio. The hosts of the evening are Renata Gojković, acting assistant director of the Sector for Monitoring the Situation and Cooperation with the Diaspora in the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora-Expatriates, Biserka Milić, tourism specialist and Ksenija Vujović Catapano, sociologist and member of the Italia-Montenegro Association "Regina Elena". This is one of the activities within the project "Inspiring contributions of Montenegrin women in the diaspora, looking beyond the borders and promoting gender equality", which the Administration started implementing in March of this year.
- Only one of them was a queen. However, all the others were queens in their own right. That's what those who met them and had the opportunity to know them say. They had power, they had spirit, a big heart, warmth, joy of life. They carried gentleness and holiness. They represented the supremacy of heaven over earth - said essayist and tourism specialist Biserka Milić.
Renata Gojković from the Administration for Cooperation with the Diaspora pointed out that Montenegrin women who are still building strong ties in the diaspora should be strengthened.
- Their courage, intelligence and vision, not only shaped history but also laid the foundations for future generations who followed their example. Thank you for being with us tonight to celebrate together these women who have left an indelible mark on Italian culture and society. Today we stand before you as the hosts of this event, but above all as women who believe in the power of togetherness and support. We are excited that tonight we have the opportunity to highlight the traditional female courage, strength and contribution that are indelibly woven into the history of Montenegrin society," said Gojković.
The inspiring story about the Montenegrin Queen Jelena of Savoy and her charities was presented by Ksenija Vujović-Catapano, a sociologist and member of the Association Italia - Montenegro 'Regina Elena'.
- I would start the story about the queen where she was born. In her native Cetinje. In one of the many conflicts that Montenegro fought with the Ottoman Empire, we find ourselves in 1876, when little Jelena, then a princess, was three or less than four years old. While her father was young and fighting, her mother turned the castle into a military hospital. She, like the other Borjan women, helped heal the wounds of the soldiers during their treatment. Little Jelena, the princess, always wanted to be in the rooms, where people came wounded, where they often died. At the beginning, they would have chased her away, but that childish persistence and curiosity won in the end," said Vujović-Catapano.
Vujović-Catapano pointed out that the epithet of benefactor accompanied the queen all her life, which remained part of her personality, followed her in Italy, and later in exile in Egypt and France.
- The role of mother was her most important role for the queen. She said that she always felt like a mother. After all, she was a mother to her dolls. She also said that she was the mother of her youngest brother. She took care of him non-stop - said Vujović-Catapano.
Milić told how the idea was born to organize such an evening in the old town of Kotor, admitting that she was scared by our reality for a while and that she thought that because of our personal paths and detours that we run more than we walk, we forgot to be good, benevolent and kind .
I was frightened by the feeling that humanity and humanity had completely fallen out of fashion. However, fortunately, the circumstances led me to several wonderful conversations with Ms. Danijela Đurđević and I realized that I had not understood well and that the assessment, fortunately, was completely wrong. That's where the idea was born - said Milić.
In addition to a large audience, the cultural evening about Montenegrin women and their contribution and influence in Italy was also visited by ambassador Andreana Marsela, as well as the vice-president of the Parliament of Montenegro Zdenka Popović and members of parliament, members of the Women's Club and representatives of the state administration.
