Pirot to Initiate Procedure for Protection of Carpets at UNESCO

On an open summer stage, in the yard of the Historical Archive in Pirot, the first Pirot Carpet Festival was held. On this occasion, 20 carpets were exhibited, which are part of the collection of the Museum of Ponisavlje, and a suitable program was organized as well.

Numerous citizens, representatives of the local self-government, the Pirot Administrative District and all institutions in the city followed this first festival and enjoyed the colors and the patterns of Pirot carpets. Two weavers were also on the stage, showing how a carpet is woven.

Before the official beginning of the festival, the mayor of Pirot, Vladan Vasic, said in a media statement that, until then, a lot had been done to preserve that craft and promote Pirot carpets. Several weaving colonies have been held, plenty of ambassadors have come to Pirot, they have tried to make the carpets recognized and visible not just in Pirot and Serbia, but also worldwide, but also to have the craft revived, Vasic said and added that they had protected the geographic designation of origin and that he believed that they had managed to prevent it from becoming forgotten.

The festival was preceded by a weaving school, led by Slavica Jovanovic. According to her, there are few weavers left, but with this attempt – a festival, workshops, weaving schools, rooms for crafts, she believes that the first step will be done toward the promotion of the production, the weavers and the craft itself, which will enable carpet-making to survive.

Radmila Vlatkovic, the director of the “Cedomir Krstic” Gallery, pointed out that it was almost certain that the Pirot carpet would end up on UNESCO World Heritage List, and when asked how the carpet could be preserved, she said that people should be educated for it. Within the program, models of Silvana Tosic were shown, featuring Pirot carpet motifs. She said in a media statement that she had managed to realize the idea that she had had from day one, namely, for everybody to be gathered around the carpet. Silvana Tosic believes that the festival will grow into a world festival once the Pirot carpet ends up on the UNESCO list.

Within the program, letters of gratitude were handed out to the attendees of the weaving school, which preceded the festival. They were handed out by the mayor, Vladan Vasic, and the director of the Pirot gallery, Radmila Vlatkovic.

On this occasion, the mayor of Pirot addressed those present. He pointed out that the city was initiating the procedure of having the Pirot carpet protected by UNESCO.

The festival was also preceded by a painting workshop, where 10 high-school students painted the patterns of a Pirot carpet. They also received letters of gratitude.

The music part of the program featured performances by the ethno music group of the Culutral Center “Gugutce” and a classical music ensemble. The actress Danica Mitic told a story in the Pirot dialect, and this was followed by a fashion show of Silvana Tosic, with Pirot carpet motifs.

Grad Pirot

ISTORIJSKI ARHIV PIROT

Muzej Ponišavlja Pirot

Vladan Vasić

Radmila Vlatković

Silvana Tošić

Pirot gallery

carpet

UNESCO

Pirot carpet

UNESCO list

cultural heritage

Pirot Carpet Festival

geographic designation of origin