Today, an exhibition featuring three documents that preceded World War I was opened at the Archive of Republika Srpska in Banja Luka, marking the 110th anniversary of the start of the Great War.
The exhibition was inaugurated by the Minister of Education and Culture of Republika Srpska, Željka Stojičić, who emphasized that in collaboration with the State Archives of Serbia, the exhibition is also being held in Trebinje, Foča, Zvornik, and Doboj.
“This way, citizens will have the opportunity to see the documents sent to the Kingdom of Serbia by Austria-Hungary in a very short interval,” Stojičić told reporters.
She added that it is significant that UNESCO has recognized the value of the Telegram of the Declaration of War, which has been included in the “Memory of the World” register, thereby increasing its importance.
“The Archive of Republika Srpska has made an effort to enlarge the documents so that the content can be read. The French language of that time, the language of diplomacy, was used for the documents, and a translation has been provided for our citizens,” Stojičić said.
She highlighted that this exhibition is another form of cultural cooperation between Republika Srpska and Serbia, aiming to strengthen cultural ties following the holding of the All-Serb Assembly.
“The exhibition is a good opportunity for the two ministries of Republika Srpska and Serbia, as the main actors, to contribute to its realization,” said Stojičić.
Bojan Stojnić, Director of the Archive of Republika Srpska, told reporters that these important historical documents will be available to the public in five cities in Republika Srpska and around twenty cities in Serbia until Sunday, July 28.
“Simultaneously, the exhibition is being opened in five cities in Republika Srpska and around twenty cities in Serbia. Almost all major regional historical archives have joined,” said Stojnić.
He stated that the public will see the last days of the July Crisis through documents from the ultimatum on July 23, the Serb Government’s draft response on July 25, to the telegram received on July 28, 1914, which officially marked the beginning of World War I, plunging humanity into a conflict of global and unprecedented proportions.
The documents include the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum to Serbia, the draft response from the Government of the Kingdom of Serbia, and the telegram of the declaration of war, which is listed in UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” register.
The original documents are housed in the State Archives of Serbia in Belgrade, where they are exhibited simultaneously with the copies in the Archive of Republika Srpska.
The exhibition opening was also attended by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare of Republika Srpska, Alen Šeranić, the Consul General of Serbia in Banja Luka, Miloš Vujić, as well as representatives of the academic community.
Source: RTRS
