Diplomats visiting weavers in Vojvodina village

Diplomats visiting weavers in Vojvodina village

The diplomats and officials took part in awarding children and youth for the best drawing with rug motifs, and went for a stroll with the Mayor to see the sights of Sombor including the city hall and art galleries, followed by a boat ride down the canal of Backo Podunavlje aka European Amazon.

The guests said to have indulged immensely in the delightful ambiance of the greenest and noiseless city. Over a truly Vojvodinian lunch, VIP guests talked about preserving the endangered cultural heritage through the promotion of Stapar rugs and other local brands.

"Weaving colonies hosted by the cities of Sombor and Pirot, provide ample opportunity for unemployed women to develop the skills of rug making that can
generate income for their families. In this way we can help in creating jobs for thousands of women from all over Serbia and offer authentic products as generators of new tourist attractions," said Australian Ambassador Julia Feeney, the patron of Ethno Network, and added: "Developed countries recognize the importance of these activities and therefore have the support of foreign embassies in these activities."

Home based industry and crafts make the second largest source of farm income in the EU. For Serbia to move closer to this result, we need to make our authentic products with geographical indications available to foreigners and tourists which can be done through the opening of ethno gallery in the down town Belgrade and the regional centers.