Concept and objectives - Cultural Center Point

Aims of this project are creating and promoting additional cultural values of Europe, as well as making a model of socio-economical sustainable development, in which is included cultural heritage as relevant factor, in cooperation with partners from Canada. The project has multidisciplinary character because it incorporate social science research in domains of history, culturology and sociology, with science and modern technologies into central subject of cultural heritage issues, with purpose to insight its contents, roles in community development, its preserving and transmitting on younger generations, as its cohesion elements between different social and ethnic groups.

The specific research relate to Ukrainian and Ruthenian diasporas in Serbia and Canada. This parallel studies will have for aim to indentify mechanisms and systems of diasporas relations with its surroundings, as well as its reasons and consequences for preserving and progress of ethnicity and its mutual enriching. Results of the research will supplement and enrich social sciences knowledge base and Europe's culture image, and will be used to create a social model for address to actual problems of immigration in Europe. In the results will be additionally explored roles of cultural heritage in society development and its possibilities of reciprocal enriching and establishment of connections between different cultures.

Subject of research will be Ruthenian cultural heritage in Ruski Krstur, opus of Aleksandar Teodorovic, Serbian artist. Reason for choosing Ruthenian and Ukrainian diasporas is the fact that they both belong to the same ethnos which they preserved and developed in two totally different historic, cultural and social environment, so they can be good example for finding the answers for immigration problems issues in Europe, for many similar situations. Cultural heritage as subject of research is chosen because it is best parameter for degree of preserving diasporas original identity, level of influences taken and consequences of that influence for preserving of diasporas and supplementing cultural heritage content, both diasporas and its surroundings.

Ruski Krstur, center of Ruthenian in Serbia, is place with very rich tangible and intangible heritage, with authentic elements which origin from period of Kievan Rus, homeland of Ruthenian (like chronicle on native language), and also elements from surroundings (like church's iconostasis made by famous Serbian painter Arsenije Teodorovic). In opus of Arsenije Teodorovic can be observed the significant way of European cultural exchange: Baroque impact on Ukrainian ecclesiastical painting, and its influence on Serbian painting.

Similar research will going to take place also in Ukrainian settlement in Canada.

Cultural heritage, as very important agent of socio-economical development, have to be protected and transmitted to younger generations, and that is covered by this project: documentation of contents, conservation conditions and plan and proposes for its protections, including modern methodologies and techniques of social and natural science. The modern concept of sustainable development of one community is presented on example of Ruski Krstur and its cultural heritage.

Durration of the project is estimated to 24 months, and will include parallel activities in Serbia and Canada. Estimation of budget is 200.000 - 300. 000 EUR, and total finance construction is not finished yet.

Objectives:

  • Additional cultural values of Europe by documentation and research of Ruthenian and Ukrainian cultural heritage, with a focus on original and unique elements, and explored roles of cultural heritage in society development.
  • The research of European cultural transits and exchanges, with emphasis on Serbian-Ukrainian painting connections, on example of Aleksandar Todorovic opus.
  • The investigation of conservation condition and preparing plans for conservation of cultural heritage and revitalization in Ruski Krstur, for its preserving.
  • The elaboration of a sustainable socio - economic development of Ruski Krstur, with cultural heritage as important factor.
  • The model for preservation and development of national, cultural and religious identity of the diaspora, through dialogue and mutual enrichment of the surroundings, on the example of the Ruthenian and Ukrainian diaspora, that would serve as a positive instance in dealing with complex situations in Europe related to the constant migration process

Type of activities:

  • Historical, cultural and sociological research regarding cultural heritage, with emphasis on diasporas;
  • The research of methodologies of incitement inter-cultural dialogues;
  • Documentation and promotion of diasporas cultural heritage;
  • Analyses of state of conservation of cultural heritage items;
  • Planning of conservation treatments and revitalization of communities in accordance with sustainable development