Lifestyle

11 Oct 2020, 09:53 AM

October 11, 2020 - Besides illegal landfills and many current ecological issues, Kotor and Tivat will soon have a new problem - the golf courses planned by "Luštica Bay." The chemicals that will be used on the golf courses are absorbed and enter the groundwater. They then enter the public well system, warns Patricija Pobrić, President of the NGO "Our Action," which is a partner in the "YOUth Drive" project.

As part of this project, an analysis of the current situation regarding water pollution was presented at a conference at the Cattaro Hotel, where waste management was also discussed. Pobrić points out that the project implementors analyzed illegal landfills in ​​the three Boka municipalities of Kotor, Tivat, and Herceg Novi. Photos were sent by the public, and volunteers and coordinators went out into the field and mapped them.

- We found 75 such locations. We included them in one single program with dots, to give them GPS locations, so that we could subsequently send a link to all utility companies and then "track" when the location is cleared. We cleaned three spots on the International Coastal Cleaning Day, so we put green dots on the map as we cleaned those three landfills. The Utility Company of Kotor yesterday cleaned the section along the road Kotor-Budva, where there is a lot of illegal dumping. So we "greened" it as well - said Pobrić, expressing the hope that cooperation will be established with utility companies of Bokelian cities for all 75 locations to be cleaned. She also stated that some landfills are close to watercourses and pointed out that water samples will be taken to establish how many landfills affect watercourses.

Professor Radoslav Udovicic, an expert in environmental protection, says that we must preserve the air and climate, natural beauty and architectural heritage, and reduce fossil fuel consumption.

"To deliver on all this, we must adequately take care of the waste situation. This means rational waste management, remediation, elimination of illegal landfills, and recycling of packaging waste. The aim is to make waste management as cheap as possible, to have as few dumps as possible, i.e., one-day incineration. A big problem is construction waste, which is mineral wealth, raw materials, and waste from excavation," said Udovicic.

Project manager Lucija Kvesić said that through the analysis of the situation on the ground in the Herzegovina County, over 200 illegal landfills were detected, which, she says, is devastating.
The project is implemented within the Cross-Border Cooperation Bosnia and Herzegovina-Montenegro, funded by the European Union. The project is implemented by the Association for Environmental Development and Culture Eko ZH, in cooperation with the partner organization of the NGO "Our Action" from Montenegro, based in Kotor. The total value of the project is 280,000 euros, of which the EU is funding 230,000 euros.
Presenting data at a global level, project associate Jozo Kolobarić indicated that of the 7.5 billion people living in the world, 50 percent live in urban areas.

"Humans are affecting climate change, due to which we lose the contours of the seasons, so we go straight to flip-flops from boots, while mental health pills are the best-selling drugs. We now have parts of the world where one cannot live at all. Those are the facts. Changing the main value system is essential for ecology; if there is no ecology of the soul, everything is in vain, he assessed, adding that education on the need for waste separation should start from kindergartens and primary schools. Montenegro has a good infrastructure and fewer illegal landfills than Bosnia," said Kolobaric.

Source: Dan

08 Oct 2020, 23:31 PM
October 8, 2020 - Culinary heritage - from our grannies' notebooks via high-school students and back to our dining tables as a tourist attraction is the shortest way to explain the new project starting in Tivat, dedicated to our cultural heritage, a fundamental segment of sustainable development. 
 
The Municipality of Tivat - Secretariat for Tourism and Entrepreneurship, has been officially approved to implement the project "Enhancing Sustainable Tourism Development through Culinary Heritage - CUHaCHA" within the second call of the Interreg IPA cross-border cooperation program between Croatia, BiH, and Montenegro.
 
The project implementation period is from August 15, 2020, to August 14, 2022. The project's total budget is 710,946 euros, while the amount intended for the Municipality of Tivat is 173,823 euros.
 
The project was approved under the program priority measure: contribution to tourism development and preservation of cultural and natural heritage. The project's main activity refers to the renovation of school premises and equipping the school canteen at the "Mladost" Secondary School, which will serve students in professional fields for the practical part of teaching. About 100,000 euros in grants have been provided for this purpose. The Municipality of Tivat will also work on support to  and promotion of gastronomic heritage by organizing specialized training and networking opportunities, and promoting new tourist products that will be produced during the project. One of these products will be "gastronomic heritage trails" and work with a chef of traditional recipes.
 
"The central theme of this project is traditional food, which for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years has played a significant role in the tradition and folklore of the countries in the program area, representing a fundamental part of their cultural heritage. It is essential to preserve our indigenous products and dishes from oblivion brought about by the modern age. Local cuisine and local products are precisely those that can encourage innovation and improve development at the regional and global levels. Above all, it can further enhance what we can offer to tourists," said Petar Vujovic, Head of the Secretariat.
07 Oct 2020, 20:05 PM

October 7, 2020 - Education is only one way in which our lives have changed since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak. In these uncertain times many of us, parents and educators alike, are wondering what the consequences will be for our children - both in terms of what, and how, they are learning. In a first installment on the topic, lifelong educator, teacher trainer and language school owner Sue Dixon gives us some reassurance that all is "not lost"!

 

During these past COVID months there has been a great deal of debate about whether our children have suffered from ‘lost learning.

Online learning hasn’t suited everyone, especially primary aged children and many parents tell me how difficult it is to motivate children to learn at home. Many teachers haven’t enjoyed it much either!

So, what if children haven’t learnt how to do long multiplication or how to use adverbial phrases this year? Is that a serious loss of learning – I mean really?  Given the circumstances around the world I don’t think so. With the right mindset, and positive teaching environment these are things that children can catch up. The first priority is to  build confidence, re-establish routines and instil good dispositions and habits for learning.

I have recently embarked on a new education adventure (I have had many adventures it is true to say) in Kotor; Thinking Child Tuition Centre.

I am excited and privileged to have created this opportunity to teach individuals and small groups, to be able to develop those necessary thinking skills for learning in a focused and personalised way. I am confident that children’s learning will not be ‘lost’ for long.

I wish all teachers, families and children the very best learning experiences in the coming weeks and months.

 

Thinking Child Tuition

www.thinkingchild.org

02 Oct 2020, 22:17 PM

October 2, 2020 - In these dark days of the COVID-19 epidemic, everyone needs to take off a little above the clouds and socialize. It is even nicer to learn together, proposes an invitation to a seminar offering continuous psychosocial support for parents of children and young people with special needs. The seminar was held in Herceg Novi as a part of a broader project to support those children and their families.

About twenty experts from Kotor, Tivat, and Herceg Novi joined the coordinator, Dr. Sonja Vasić, for a two-day gathering organized by the NGO Meritum, held last weekend in the Blue Salon of the "Dr. Simo Milošević" Institute in Igalo.

The session leader was Dr. Nenad Rudic, a psychiatrist at the Institute for Mental Health in Belgrade and a consultant to UNICEF Serbia, whospoke to Radio Tivat at the end of the workshop:

"We had the opportunity to exchange our professional experiences and to provide our thoughts on the topic that brought us together: what is the best way to help this group, and what is possible, not forgetting that from the practice of helping children with special needs, parents are not just on the sidelines, but are actors in both child development and in our work with them. The reality is that both in our country and elsewhere in the world, a major issue is how to find the right models and ways of sustainable support to parenthood. Especially in the most challenging situations, we certainly do not have all the answers. It is in those challenging situations where we are wondering whether the profession can, within its competencies, develop support meetings, sometimes within its daily practice, but also as a special activity. These sessions can take place both with groups of parents and through individual counseling. Within these sessions, the parents need to be able to ask questions, feel good while asking them, get clear answers to personal questions, and feel that the child development services are working with the child. We are on the same side as the parents and we are trying to understand each other."

In particular, there were discussions on child development and disorders, mental health problems in children and young people with special needs, quality of life, and parental stress and their own mental health problems.

Emphasis was placed on the partnership model of counseling support to parents, to which attention will be paid in the next three similar sessions provided by the organization. The idea is for participants from three Boka municipalities to organize continuous work with parents in their communities after the training.

The organizers read a letter of support from Mary Borojevich, president and founder of the NGO Meritum, who came to Montenegro after many years dedicated to caring for children with special needs in Serbia.

"For the last four years, I have turned my attention to Montenegro, continuing the work with special needs children. We supported the daily care center in Herceg Novi for two years by paying the rent and funded in-home schooling for those kids who could not attend school. Our latest effort is to provide for the needs we learned of from professionals and family members when we held a needs assessment seminar last November at Cattaro Hotel," explains Mary Borojevich for TMN.

"This is planned to be a four-phase training program; the first phase was held 26-27 September. Our goal is to answer the call of the area's population with one sole goal in mind. That is to improve the special needs reality so that everyone may reach their full potential. Of course, the very wonderful side effect will be a more capable and compassionate society in this beautiful Boka that I have come to love and call my second home," says this humanitarian worker interviewed by TMN two years ago.

Tivat is Finally Opening the Doors of Daily Care Center for Children with Special Needs

Among the workshop's participants last weekend in Igalo, was Marijana Škanata, the President of the NGO European House Tivat, which gathers parents of children with special needs from the town. The NGO has been supporting children with special needs and their families since 2007. As a parent of a child with special needs herself, advocating for better policies and practices through the years, Marijana was invited to join the gathering both as a journalist and experienced worker on the topic:

"The first thing that struck me was the great enthusiasm I felt among all the participants. They came with many ideas, cooperation suggestions, and proposals of how continuous psychological support should be provided within the social care system. In today's world, psychological support is needed more than ever. As a parent, I took the opportunity to emphasize some good and some bad examples of how participants in health and social care systems could be helpful or psychologically unsupportive with parents in very delicate moments. In doing this, we discussed real problems and found solutions together, acting as a team."

children with special needsDaily Care Center for Children with Special Needs in Tivat, Photo by Sinisa Lukovic

NGO European House Tivat was founded in 2000. Their mission to help special needs children began in 2007 when Marijana took part in a working group to create the Local Action Plan for Children, introducing the need to organize a daycare center for children with special needs in Tivat into the local plans. After years and years of EDT efforts, those plans are finally coming to fruition - the daycenter will host its first guests on Monday, October 5.

The Montenegrin "Monte Carlo," as some like to call Tivat when making a development-level comparison, has succeeded in opening the Daycare Center after dozens of projects, educational, and funding events organized by EDT Tivat.

"We started collecting funds and advocating for the daycenter in December 2008, with our first project dedicated to children with special needs - I want to go to the EU, me too! It took a lot of time, but some of our children will finally have this vital service. It is important not only for them but also for their families. Of course, we are happy and look forward to future cooperation and joint projects with this important local institution," said Marijana Mišić Škanata for TMN.

The institution "Daycenter for Children and Youth with Disabilities" Tivat was officially opened on August 12, and its doors open to guests on Monday, October 5. According to the coordinator, Vedrana Petković, the Center in Seljanovo can accommodate 20 guests.

"The center's working hours are from 7am to 3pm; every aspect will be designed with the needs of the children in mind," Vedrana points out, noting that the center is counting on close cooperation with the NGO European Home Tivat.

Guests will have at their disposal a living room, a room for individual work, rehabilitation room, and sensory room, and the center is open to children and young people up to 27 years of age.

30 Sep 2020, 23:48 PM

September 30, 2020 - The pozornica.me portal is now up and running. It is an ambitious project through which theaters, festivals, cultural centers, associations, and NGOs can inform the public about their work and their projects quickly and easily.

Ten electronic services have been made available to theater lovers in Montenegro since the beginning of September on the portal www.pozornica.me

The portal is an information hub for current and upcoming theater events and content in Montenegro, and is in important source from an informative, educational and entertainment perspective.

In the informative segment, pozornica.me will continuously publish all upcoming theater events to further develop and support theater art in Montenegro. In addition to its primary function of informing the public about theater events, the portal aims to present and promote professional literature.

"Portal pozornica.me will aim to follow all current theater events and happenings and to provide all related information. The theater audience will be able to read exciting and inspiring texts on theatrical art to find what interests them. But the portal will also be a platform where theater lovers will be able to review plays and express their opinions, said the editor of the portal Dubravka Matičić.

Also, there is a further service that is still under construction, which consists of a calendar of events, a repertoire divided by production, reviews from the audience, a wish list (with which portal users will be able to see when and where a favorite show will be performed), and a ticket reservation section.

The portal is open for cooperation with all institutions, festivals, associations, schools that deal with theater in any way, and individuals, whether they are actors, directors, producers, or just theater lovers, the portal editor added.

The portal designer is Kristijan Vujović.

The project pozornica.me is supported by the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro, through a competition to help independent artists affected by the pandemic's impact on the cultural sector, in partnership with the Royal Theater Zetski Dom.

29 Sep 2020, 13:02 PM
September 29, 2020 - While we are awaiting the designation of a protected area in the Katič Sea, habitats of the sea meadow Posidonia Oceanica are slowly disappearing, claims NGO Green Home.
 
The NGO, in cooperation with the Montenegrin Society of Ecologists (CDE) and the Mediterranean Center for Environmental Monitoring, conducted monitoring and analysis of the seagrass Posidonia Oceanica in the waters of the future protected area in the Katič Sea. Monitoring was conducted at five locations in the space between the Black Cape and Cape Skočiđevojka. Ecologists analyzed the Posidonia density, distribution to the seabed, lower population limit, and resistance to depth.
 
Analysis of the data obtained on the condition of the Posidonia meadows in the area of ​​the future protected sea area in Katič shows that the situation is good, but not ideal. Particularly, regressive changes were observed, especially compared to 2010 measurements, according to the NGO Green Home.
 
The markers of Posidonia's settlement's borders, placed in 2010 in the seabed of the island of Sveta Neđelja, indicated that the area had been receding.
 
- Knowing about the change in shore in front of Hotel As and the significant turbidity of the water in this locality, which occurs mainly in the winter months after heavy rains and washing of the terrain, it is most likely that the reduced transparency of seawater caused these regressive changes in Posidonia meadows. In addition to soil leaching, there may be other negative impacts such as wastewater spills, meadow erosion due to anchoring or other physical loads, but also seawater flow, which is very pronounced in some locations - they point out in their statement.
 
The seagrass Posidonia Oceanica is a protected species under national and international legislation (Habitat Directive 92/43 / EU) and is one of the two most essential oxygen producers on the planet. Posidonia Oceanica is exclusively distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and is of great importance to sea flora and fauna. Precisely because of its ecological importance, it has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. However, as they explain, due to negative anthropogenic influences (pollution, anchoring, trapping, explosive poaching, and other physical-mechanical impacts), this endemic species is has become endangered.
 
To prevent further degradation of sea meadows, Green Home and its partners have defined recommendations for reducing and removing negative impacts on this critical marine habitat, and ensuring its protection. These recommendations include ensuring continuous monitoring of the state of Posidonia, elimination and reduction of negative anthropogenic influences, and the development of educational programs tailored to both local communities and tourists on the importance and protection of marine biodiversity.
 
- If we want to protect marine habitats that are in regression, Montenegro must declare the first protected area in the sea, which has been waiting for such a formal act for 13 years - Green Home reports.
 
The activity of monitoring and analyzing sea meadows was carried out through the project Support to Local Communities in the Promotion and Protection of the Future Protected Area in the Sea - Katič, funded by the Partnership Fund for Critical Ecosystems (CEPF).
27 Sep 2020, 15:02 PM
September 27, 2020 - Montenegrin wine production has received confirmation of its proclaimed high quality on the international scene - all Montenegrin participants can boast of medals won at one of the world's largest festivals, held in London 
Winemakers recognized for their excellent red wines, are ready to conquer even the most discerning white wine markets, results of  the "Decanter world wine awards, London, England 2020" confirmed.
At one of the most esteemed quality tests, the wineries finished with gold, eight silver, and three bronze medals.
Samples from Montenegro were sent to London by only four wineries, and each came away with at least one medal.
In addition to the inevitable giant - "Plantaže", which won gold for "Vranac Pro Corde" from 2016, and numerous other medals for a wide range, the wines of Grbalj winery "Castel Savina", and Podgorica's "Bogojevic" and "Vukicevic" drew significant attention. During the previous week in London, silver medals were earned by the Chardonnay "Castel Savina", the red wine "Bogdan" from the winery Bogojević, and the white wine "Malvazija" from the winery Vukićević from Beri.
Malvasija was the closest in terms of points to the gold medal of Montenegrin white wines in London.
"Those few points needed for gold were taken away by the fact that we were a candidate for young wine from the 2018 harvest. If we had run for Malvasija in 2016, we would surely have won a gold medal. However, we are a small winery, and we wanted to prove the quality of wine that people can buycurrently, since the older vintages are almost sold out. We achieved the goal, and I received confirmation from London that we have top-quality red wines in Montenegro, but also excellent white wines. To those who would doubt us, I'd tell them to try Malvasija. In addition to the Malvasija wine, we received a bronze medal for the young wine 'Vranac Vukićević' and we are incredibly proud of the quality of the wine of our family winery," emphasized agronomist Filip Vukićević.
In just five years since its founding, the winery "Vukićević" has proven its quality at all the most prestigious fairs.
"We only perform at fairs in the region and Montenegro, while for the most prestigious samples we send by express mail, and even that is expensive for us. However, this season with the pandemic, it was confirmed that wine production has far exceeded the market's needs. It is a pity that all our wineries did not participate in Paris and London. Only by participating can we position ourselves on the world wine map and expand the market because we have quality and reasonable prices. In addition to the award-winning wines, we have started the production of chardonnay this season, we have rosé, and also grape brandy 'Vukićević,'" explained Filip Vukićević.
Podgorica vineyards, based on the results and experience of Vukićević, have vast potential.
"We have 18,000 vines, but in a crisis due to a pandemic, it is risky to increase the numbers. Our goal is to expand the capacity of the base and procure equipment. There are announcements that there will be an international assistance program for precisely that through the Ministry of Agriculture ... ".
Vukicevic points out that in this coronavirus year sales started only after the opening of the borders, and that the previous figures were not good either.
"We hope that the New Year's holidays will bring profit, otherwise many wine producers will be in trouble at the beginning of the next harvest. That is why we do not plan to expand the vineyard for now. We must continue to participate in the most prestigious fairs to get a foothold in other markets. Only better positioning will avoid the problem of a small market - it will be difficult to survive otherwise if we have another crisis season".
 
16 Sep 2020, 12:19 PM
September 16, 2020 - The International Coastal Cleanup Day 2020 will take place on Saturday, September 19, with waste clean-ups at 13 locations, coordinated by NGO Zero Waste Montenegro and NGO Our Action.
 
More than 10 NGOs, international institutions, public companies, and citizens groups across Montenegro are joining forces to raise awareness of the growing problem of overuse of disposable plastics and waste accumulation:
 
"It is the world's largest, annual, volunteer effort tackling this problem in our seas and waterways. The focus of the International Coastal Cleanup Day in Montenegro is waste reduction, particularly of single-use plastics. Its enduring presence in the ocean and rivers, and its irreversible negative impact on the marine and river ecosystems are killing hundreds of thousands of birds and marine animals, and has an indirect negative impact on human health," the NGO Zero Waste Montenegro points out.
 
Clean-ups at 13 locations start at 9 am: Pristan at Luštici, the beach near Plavi Horizontati, the road at the limit of Krašić in Tivat, Bar beach and Maljevik beach in Bar, the left and right banks of Ada Bojana, Velika beach in Ulcinj, the beach near Sinjavac island and Lješnica beach in Bijelo Polje, the shore of Lake Krupac in Nikšić, the beach under the viaduct in Rogami in Podgorica, while other clean-ups will be organized at the Ćehotina riverbed in Pljevlja and the Solana canal in Ulcinj on September 20.
 

Maximum of 40 volunteers at each location, protective equipment required

The organizers ask everyone who is participating to observe the epidemiological measures in force in our country and the instructions of the local clean-up coordinator:
 
At all clean-ups, the maximum number of people allowed will be 40, with the obligation to respect a physical distance of at least two meters.
People in high-risk groups and those who are ill or who have recently visited a high-risk area are asked to stay at home.
 
All participants must wear masks and gloves as well as bring their own water/refreshments. Food and water will NOT be provided at this year's events to in order to prevent the spread of the  virus.
 
All participants are strongly advised to wash their hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer after the event.

Locations coordinators for coastal clean-up locations:

 
  • Location Pristan, Luštica, Herceg Novi. Coordinator: Milica Boca, +382 (0) 68 330 000 or through social networks
  • Krasici, Tivat. Coordinator: Boris Filip, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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  • Location near Blue Horizons, Kotor. Coordinator Patricija Pobrić, +382 (0) 69 279 331, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or NGO Our Action
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  • Location near PACHA Surf Pub. Cleanup Coordinator for Ulcinj is Zenepa Lika, Phone: +382 (0) 69 069 188, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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  • Ulcinj - Ada Bojana - Right and left banks of Bojana, Cleanup coordinator: Sanja Čapunović, Phone: +382 (0) 68 026 161, Association Ada Bojana
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  • Nikšić - lake Krupac, Cleanup Coordinators Aleksandar Perović / Savo Milojević, Phone: +382 (0) 67 608 083 / +382 (0) 67 617 671, NGO Ozon
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  • Bijelo Polje location 1, Cleanup Coordinator Željko Đukić, Phone: +382 (0) 68 491 335, NGO Multimedia MNE
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  • Bijelo Polje location 2, Cleanup coordinator Ivana Milićević, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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  • Bar - Bar beach and beach Maljevik, Cleanup coordinator Milica Pavlović, Phone: +382 (0) 66 125 925
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  • Podgorica - River Zeta - Rogami and two beaches near Pričelje, Milovan Marković, Phone: +382 (0) 67 364 529, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Citizen initiative "For a green Zeta"
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  • Ćehotina river and river coast, Miloš Ostojić, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
Each participant volunteer will be provided with a pair of reusable garden gloves to collect litter from river banks and beaches.
 
On several beaches and river banks, the waste will be separated by type and brand. It will enable the preparation of a Waste Audit Report shared with the municipalities, the government, and companies/brands, NGO Zero Waste Montenegro announced.
 
At each location, the amount of waste collected will be measured. That will help to quantify litter at the various locations.
 

Participants and sponsors of the International Coastal Clean-up Day Montenegro 2020:

Organizations participating in the events: Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby Association, NGO Ozon, Knightsbridge school, Clean Me, NGO Green Home, NGO MedCEM, NGO UBA, JP Morsko Dobro, TO Žabljak, NGO Clean Sea, Ne Bacajte Boce, Ribolovačko Društvo Lim, NGO Multimedia MNE, NGO Zeleni Korak, Youth for a Clean Adriatic, JP Komunalne Djelatnosti Ulcinj / NP Veprimtaritë Komunale Ulqin, Marine Mammals Research Association.
 
Clean-up Day Montenegro 2020 sponsors: Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, Morsko Dobro, Porto Montenegro, EU Info center, Beyond Plastic Med, TO Bar, Municipality of Bar, Studio X design, Municipality of Ulcinj, TO Ulcinj, Municipality of Herceg Novi, Municipality of Bijelo Polje, Municipality of Berane, and National Parks of Montenegro.
 
 
15 Sep 2020, 10:39 AM

September 15, 2020 - The fact that Montenegro is one of the centers of plant diversity in Europe is a known fact, due to the last relict jungle in Europe and its many endemic plants. But it was not widely known that Montenegrin vineyards have genetic characteristics similar to traditional wine regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy in France or La Rioja in Spain.

So far, the most extensive genomic study in Montenegro focused on the genetic diversity of vines has shown that the Montenegrin vineyards stand side by side with these world-famous wine regions.

A study published in the prestigious journal Nature Scientific Reports by a Montenegrin, Canadian and Spanish multidisciplinary team sampled and genotyped more than 500 vines over 100 years old across Montenegro, determining their genotype and mutual genetic connection.

This study revealed an unexpected diversity of grape genotypes with 51 unknown genotypes discovered for science, presenting new grape varieties. However, the most significant discovery is finding their genetic connection and discovering the Montenegrin vine's pedigree. This study shows that vines have been grown here for centuries and with a specific genetic structure for this vineyard.

Specifically, the Kratošija variety is the central variety that has produced the Montenegrin grape assortment in its crossbreeding with other types. Kratošija represents mother or father for 12 grape varieties, and was the most common combination sampled in old vineyards.

With its diversity, biotypes and historical data from the Budva Constitution from 1427, which describe the cultivation of Kratošija in the Middle Ages, this research shows that Kratošija has been the main variety grown in Montenegro for centuries.

Among the many descendants of this variety is the crown of Montenegrin wine production, Vranac, where Kratošija is the father of this variety and the mother is a disappearing variety, called Duljenga, found at one site only in Crmnica. Also, the basis of table grape varieties is Rozaklija, which gave 14 different types, the vine being from the monastery of St. Vasilije Ostroški, and according to written data, originates from 1672. According to tradition, this lineage was sprouted from seeds, and has been scientifically confirmed on the basis of this story. The "father" of this variety is Velja Pergola, which was found just below the monastery, suggesting the origin from the seeds due to crossing.

This research has vast international significance where Montenegro is placed in the center of diversity and the origin of Kratošija. The famous American Zinfandel and the Italian Primitivo were therefore transferrals from these areas. It is precisely the task of this scientific consortium to show the true origin of Zinfandel by sequencing the entire genome.

This study also reveals Montenegrin winegrowers' work through the centuries and the steps of secondary "domestication" of the vine by crossing it with wild vines. This practice has long since disappeared from Europe, and in this way, many famous grape varieties were created in antiquity, including Cabernet Franc.

This comprehensive study based on genomic technologies creates the potential for the development of indigenous winemaking in Montenegro. It lays the foundations for the development of this branch for the next centuries. A lot of work remains, however. All these varieties were first saved from extinction and are now propagated in the Plantaža nursery.
The next step is their examination and micro vinification to determine which varieties can make top quality wines. Also, this is only the first step in winemaking studies in this area. Work is ongoing on testing local yeasts important for wine fermentation, gastronomy development, steaming of wine, and food that will place wines at a higher level, expand this area of the tourism sector, and serve as a basis for vine tourism that has runs all year round.

14 Sep 2020, 22:01 PM
September 14, 2020 - The Summer School - Sustainable Development in Tourism  - started today at the Faculty of Management in Herceg Novi, which takes place in partnership with the local Tourist Organization, Adventure Park "Vrbanj" and the NGO "Sinergija," with the support of the Ministry of Science of Montenegro.
 
Dean doc. Dr. Irena Petrusic presented the Summer School participants a comprehensive program for the next seven days and the basic idea behind the school. The educational gathering was officially opened by the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Herceg Novi, Danijela Djurovic.
 
According to Djurovic, Herceg Novi is fortunate that the Faculty of Management's teaching staff is taking steps to raise awareness regarding quality and sustainable tourism development, preservation and valorization of natural resources, marketing innovations, and future opportunities and dilemmas.
 
-Undoubtedly, as a state, a city, and a social community, we must look for support in those who educate present and future generations to deliver these goals. Meeting the needs of the current generation without compromising future generations' needs is an important global goal. The biggest challenge for humanity, and thus our society, is to ensure healthy growth without degradation and destruction of natural resources and environmental pollution. To provide future generations with stability and prosperity, Djurovic said at the opening.
 
After the introductory words, the participants today attended lectures on spatial planning in the function of sustainable development, which was discussed by Sladjana Lazarevic from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Vice Dean for Teaching of the hosting institution, doc. Dr. Nikša Grgurević.
 
Tomorrow's session will open with a lecture by Dr. Dragan Klarić, who will discuss marketing aspects in rural development. Doc. Dr. Bojana Ostojić will hold a workshop on "presentation of rural settlements in Montenegro through Internet marketing," followed by a visit to the Adventure Park "Vrbanj" as a successful example of sustainable tourism.
 
On the third day of the school, representatives of the Tourist Organization of Herceg Novi will talk about the how the factors relating to the attractiveness of a tourist destination can affect competitiveness, followed by a lecture on 3D printing and the opportunities it provides, following which participants will have the chance to use the technology.
 
The summer school will also be an opportunity for students to get acquainted with the types of sustainable materials used in construction of tourist facilities. Doc. Dr. Jovana Jovanović will give a lecture on the application of new construction materials to increase the energy efficiency of tourist facilities. Dr. Kosara Kujundžić, B.Sc., will also talk about methodology that can be applied practically in the tourism sector to achieve the 2030 plan's goals, and will also hold a "Lego serious play" method workshop where teamwork through the game will explore the possibilities and potential for sustainable tourism in Montenegro.
 
Prof. Dr. Djordje Jovanovic will talk about alternative energy sources as a significant factor in sustainable development. Antonije Pusic (Rambo Amadeus) will discuss the practical application of solar energy. The well-known artist will present his great project- supported by the UNDP project "Development of low carbon tourism," where he restored a century-old ship and turned it into a solar sailing ship - a solar-powered sailboat.
 
The Summer School program also includes a lecture on "green tourism," or the "green economy" in which vital links between the economy, society, and the environment are taken into account, which affect the transformation of production processes and consumption patterns, contributes to reducing waste and pollution. It involves the efficient use of resources, materials, and energy, creates decent employment opportunities, reduces poverty, and improves income distribution equality. Environmental activist Milica Boca will talk about these topics.
 
Prof. Dr. Vasilije Kostić will give a lecture on entrepreneurial models in the function of sustainable tourism. As an example from practice, the workshop will be held by Bojana Otašević, MA, owner and director of the company "Mille Baci," which produces home-made Montenegrin ice cream.
 
The seventh day of the summer school is dedicated to cultural heritage management and sustainable tourism. NGO Sinergija is a non-governmental organization from Herceg Novi. Its primary goal is to recognize and revitalize local public spaces and cultural heritage and use it for various projects, such as revitalization and  activation of the Španjola Fortress through art and its future restoration. The participants will be addressed by the representative of the organization, Vuk Čvoro.
 
Upon completing the Summer School, participants will be awarded certificates, with the announcement of the workshops' most creative participants.
12 Sep 2020, 22:05 PM

September 12, 2020 - The Center for Civic Education (CCE) is paying tribute to all the victims and detainees in the Mamula camp during World War II, among whom the majority was from the Bay of Kotor.

"At the same time, we use the opportunity to invite the future authorities to revise the contract with the investor who is currently building a hotel and tourist facility on Mamula. We call on them to establish the Mamula Memorial Center as a sign and permanent commemoration to the victims, and a reminder to all future generations of the crimes committed here," the CCE states.

The camp on the island of Lastavica, better known as Mamula, was disbanded after Italy's capitulation on September 14, 1943, 77 years ago, and commemoration is held every September in memory of the crimes that took place on Mamula, recall the CCE.

mamula 1 cgo

Mamula, Arhive Photo, Source: CCE

"However, due to the country's epidemiological situation, the CCE delegation will not visit the island this year and lay flowers to pay tribute to the victims. Therefore, we are addressing society this way to remind them of the crime, and call on the state of Montenegro to take on the obligation towards the victims, and  the achievements of the anti-fascist struggle. In addition, they should adequately protect this locality, marking a place of suffering."

"There are numerous places of suffering on the territory of Montenegro, where crimes were committed during World War II, and today's younger generation knows almost nothing about them. It is terrible not to know that over a hundred people were killed or starved to death here. Over 2,000 were captured in Campo Mamula, as estimated based on data from Italian military documents. Therefore, to remember such facts and to encourage the development of a culture of human rights in Montenegro, one of the main pillars and cultures of memory, Mamula, but all other places of suffering in Montenegro, should be part of the education system and of a special segment of educational tourism."

"The entire Montenegrin society, and especially the institutions of the system, must remember all crimes against innocent civilians during the wars in Montenegro. They must also work tirelessly to develop a culture of remembrance and respect, recognition, and compassion for all victims, to make sure these crimes never happen again," the CCE states.

"We appeal to the new ruling majority to advocate actively in its future mandate to establish a culture of remembrance, which the previous government only declaratively supported. The highest representatives of the previous government have never gone to the commemoration on Mamula island. They treated this anti-fascist execution site like any piece of land. They leased it to an investor who, according to their public plan, cannot adequately protect the victims' memory. Everyone in Montenegro should work tirelessly on shaping a society based on respect for victims, reconciliation, the right to truth, peace, coexistence, and tolerance," the CCE said in a statement.

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