The event “Our Ball of Tradition” was held at the “Rajko Petković” City Gallery in Srbac as part of the NAUM program, dedicated to supporting gifted and talented children in Republika Srpska.
Visitors had the opportunity to enjoy a rich cultural program prepared by teachers and students of the “Jovan Jovanović Zmaj” Elementary School from Srbac.
Through folklore performances, drama acts, musical performances and an exhibition of artwork, students revived the spirit of old times, folk customs and the cultural heritage of the Serb people, showing that tradition is not only part of the past, but also a living connection between generations.
Art teacher Danijela Lepir said the school has been working with gifted children through the NAUM program for the past three years.
“We wanted to connect several subjects — Serbian language, visual arts and music culture — and that is how we came up with the idea of focusing on tradition and customs. It is important for young people to learn who they are, where they come from and why it matters to preserve the values passed down by our ancestors,” Lepir said.
She noted that students prepared all performances through school clubs and extracurricular activities, adding that children are eager to work when properly guided and organized.
Lepir recalled that the first NAUM promotion in Srbac was held in 2024 under the title “Journey Through Artistic Movements,” while last year’s event focused on “Love as the Eternal Inspiration of Serbian Poets.”
She also highlighted the achievements of student Jana Dragojević, winner of several republic-level art competitions and an international literary competition in Vranje, as well as Andrea Glišić, whose works also attracted attention.
Milica Drobac Pavićević, associate professor at the Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Banja Luka and head of the “NAUM” Center for Giftedness, expressed satisfaction that the program continues to gather more students and teachers every year.
She announced plans to expand activities next school year by including projects from natural and social sciences alongside artistic disciplines, with the goal of organizing a small “festival of knowledge.”
A special contribution to the event was made by members of the Women’s Association of Srbac, who exhibited handmade crafts and traditional works, further enriching the story of preserving heritage and old crafts.
Association president Vesna Smiljanić said the children showed great interest in traditional costumes, old ways of life, homemade food and folk customs.
“We talked about how people once lived, worked and celebrated, what healthy food means and why homemade products are important. I’m glad young people want to learn about these things,” Smiljanić said.
Source: Glas Srpske
