From April 15th to April 25th, at the 24th edition of the Herceg Novi April Theater Festival (HAPS), under the motto "HAPS as a Challenge", seven theater performances from the country and the region will be shown, as well as the film "Perfetti Sconcsciuti" (Perfect Strangers). According to the selector of the festival, Milina Kovacevic, the concept of this year's HAPS was designed as a comparison of artistic thoughts and challenges for the audience.

"The concept aims to compare the film "Perfect Strangers" according to the original script with the theater adaptation of the play "Black Box", by Niksic Theater. The aim is to compare two versions of the same text - to notice the differences in direction, character interpretation, space projection and other solutions in the play "Ice Cream" – by the Croatian playwright Miro Gavran, in the performance of a private theater from Zagreb and the recent exhibition of the National Theater from Nis. The goal is to compare two readings of the same template in the "Empire's New Clothes", i.e., the drama play for adults and children," says, among others, Kovacevic, explaining that the concept of comparisons leaves the audience to compare what the artists think about capitalism and how they put it before different age groups".

Kovacevic further explains that they simply imagined the situation in which the viewer is ambitious and as such wants to look at both proposed versions.

"We have designed a version where parents and children share a ticket package for two versions of one piece. We imagined that the viewer would present the ticket for a performance by HAPS to a friend, as an invitation to meet and talk," explains the selector of the festival, Milina Kovacevic.

HAPS will be opened with the play "Black Box" by Niksic Theater on Monday, April 15^th at 8.30 pm, according to the text by Ana Đordjevic, referring to the film "Perfect Strangers". Directed by Goran Bulajic, and cast is: Simo Trebjesanin, Gordana Micunovic, Jovan Krivokapic, Anja Drljevic, Omar Bajramspahic, Marija Djuric, Nikola Vasiljevic, while on the second night of HAPS, thanks to the Embassy of Italy in Montenegro and Stars Media International Belgrade, the film "Perfetti Sconcsciuti" by Paolo Genovese, will be shown, and the entrance is free.

On Wednesday, April 17^th, on the repertoire will be the play "Ice Cream" by the Theater "Gavran" from Zagreb, according to Miro Gavran's text and directed by Boris Svrtan, which features Mladen Gavran and Ana Vilenica, and on April 19th the audience will be able to see the play "Capital" of the Royal Theater "Zetski dom" Cetinje, the dramatization of the work by Karl Marx, signed by Vedrana Bozinovic, directed by Andras Urban. The cast is Jelena Laban, Jelena Sestovic, Pavle Prelevic, Stevan Vukovic while the musicians are Milivoje Picuric piano, Jovan Bjelica guitar, Blazo Tatar drums, and Vedran Zekovic bass guitar.

Already on Saturday, April 20th, in the morning from 10 a.m., "Kapital" will be played by the children of the Royal Theater "Zetski dom "Cetinje", which is the author's project by Petar Pejakovic and Dusan Muric. In this performance is Aleksandar Popovic, Marija Jovicevic, Aleksandra Sovran, Marija Pobor, Anastasija Sovran, Ivana Popović, Anita Jankovic, Vasilije Djukanovic, David Vukovic, Prorokovic Djordjije, Milica Andric, Filip Ivanovic, Andrej Lipovina, Radovic Milica, Marija Andric, Doroteja Buskovic, Dorotea Roganović, Nikoleta Tatar, Kristijan Kadija and Maja Marković. On the same day, at 7 pm, Bitef Theater Belgrade will play "Carevo novo odelo", a dance performance by Bitef dance company. The text and direction are signed by Jelena Kajgo, music by Aleksandra Djokic and choreography by Dejan Volarev. The cast includes Slaven Doslo, Sara Tasic, Una Vujosevic, Jaksa Filipovac, Helena Celap, Una Djuricic, Anja Milosavljevic, Nikola Zivkovic and Natalija Djecevic.

The theater audience will once again have a chance to see the play "Ice cream" by Miro Gavran on April 23^rd at 8.30 p.m., but this time in the performance of the National Theater from Nis. The director is Spasoje Z. Milovanovic and Ivana Nedovic and Nadja Nedovic Tekinder are the main acts. HAPS will be closed on April 25^th with the performance of the Herceg Novi Theater and JUK Herceg Festival "Carevo novo odelo" in the dramatization of Djordje Stanojlovic, Petar Pejakovic, Goran Slavic, Dejan Djonovic, Milos Pejovic, and Vladimir Milosevic and directed by Petar Pejakovic. The main acts are Dejan Djonović, Milos Pejovic, Goran Slavic, Slavisa Grubisa. Since the start date of the festival coincides with the date of the great earthquake that hit Montenegro and Herceg Novi 40 years ago, one segment of the accompanying program will be dedicated to this event, primarily through the project Earthquake.me by Dr Vuk Vukovic. HAPS whose programs, like in the previous years, will be organized in the Hall Park and this year is the result of the cooperation between JUK Herceg Festival and Herceg Novi Theater, supported by Herceg Novi Municipality and sponsors.

Text by D.Djonovic, on April 9th, 2019, read more at CdM

Local people in Baosici and NGO Eko Boka appealed to the authorities to protect palastura (Pinna Nobilis) the biggest Mediterranean shell that "returned" to the coastal area on the Herceg Novi Riviera.

Palastura, which is noticed near the swimming pool, is a Mediterranean endemic and is highly endangered due to pollution of the sea, anchored ships, shoreline modification, marina construction, and it often happens that people who dive carry the shells home as a souvenir.

Eco Boka (Ecological Society of Boka Kotorska) addressed a letter to the Institute of Biology of the Sea in Kotor, dr Vesna Macic, who deals with the undersea flora, to visit the location in Baosici where the palastures were observed, and that in order to protect this marine sessile community (which firmly gathers at one place), initiates the necessary procedure for registering the community and its mapping.

They explain that due to the "increasing usurpation of the shore and the formation of artificial beaches, irreparable damage is inflicted to the submarine flora and fauna" and that therefore we should protect a rare, legally endangered species, which completely disappeared from the Herceg Novi Bay area and then re-formed in Baosici, but also in other parts of the coast.

Dr Macic noted that the existence of palastura (Pinna Nobilis) species protected by national legislation was established several meters from the coast - a decision on placing them under the protection of specific plant and animal species, as well as according to Barcelona Convention.

Dr Macic found that the seabed near the small pebble beach has unfavorable conditions for vagile (mobile) organisms that no longer find suitable ecological conditions for their nutrition, propagation and hiding from predators in such locations.

Also, in this part of the aquatorium, she encountered exotic plant submarine species, some of which, besides palastura, are still protected by law. She also noted a relatively dense settlement of brown algae Cystoseira barbata which is protected according to Barcelona Convention.

"This species is protected because it is a builder of coastal biocoenoses that can be compared to forests on land. In the spring and summer period, when it is the maximum growth of this algae, its talus can be as long as more than a dozen centimeters, in addition to creating organic substance and enriching water with oxygen, they are also a favorable habitat for many other organisms, especially for young crabs and fish. Unfortunately, this species (like many others) is endangered because it inhabits small depths and is therefore often under the direct influence of man due to the construction of infrastructure on the coast or the wastewater discharges," Dr Macic said.

She also warned that all works near this location should be carefully carried out as this alga is located very close to the coast.

According to the same legal documents, there is also a sea cucumber (Holothuria tubulosa) that is found on this site.

"With a more detailed survey of the subject location it is possible to determine the presence of some other protected species, but it certainly can be concluded that this is one of the few locations in the Herceg Novi municipality which is still not significantly degraded (dredged or paved), and it should remain as such," Dr Macic said.

Text by Slavica Kosic, on April 9th 2019, read more at Vijesti

April 10, 2019 - Turkish TAV could be a company that will take long-term leases at the airports in Podgorica and Tivat, CdM says.

Rector of the University of Montenegro (UCG), professor Dr. Danilo Nikolic and Minister of Science Sanja Damjanovic, opened a co-working space for the needs of scholarship holders of doctoral studies today, in the building of Technical Faculties, equipped by the University of Montenegro in cooperation with the Ministry of Science. As stated from UCG, Nikolic emphasized the importance of this interactive space, in which, as he said, saw an investment of 100,000 euros, as it will establish a quality interaction among students of doctoral studies, their better acquaintance, exchange of knowledge, experience, as well as opening many possibilities.

"We have transformed the space of the reading room and library of technical faculties into this IT corner, which will be used by students of doctoral studies for a certain part of their research. The University of Montenegro plans to implement a number of similar projects this year. Beginning with the structure of the Central University Library reading room used by students of all levels, but also citizens. We finished last year's idea solution, the main project, and this year during the summer holiday we expect the realization of construction works. In addition, the University will allocate significant funds this year for the restoration of existing and the formation of new computer rooms in the faculties. We also plan to introduce the EDUROAM Wireless Academic Network that will enable Internet access for all students of our University," Nikolic said.

Minister Damjanovic said that funds for opening a new space were allocated through the Heric Project, which was supported by the Government of Montenegro. 

"Last year, about 750,000 euros were allocated for scholarships for doctoral research, and we received 19 scholarships, out of which 16 are from the University of Montenegro. This year we also plan to increase this critical mass to another 15 students, because we know that human resources are our biggest capital. The opening of the interactive space is a step further. The funds for opening the co-working space have been allocated through the Heric project, which was also supported by the Government of Montenegro, and I am sure that in the future we will have even more such spaces, especially since we will soon open, together with the University of Montenegro, a Science and Technology Park, which will be a multipurpose space from which not only creative ideas will be built, but also the values that are the needs of our society," said the Minister of Science.

For more information, please follow TMNs dedicated page

Text by Vijesti online, on April 8th 2019, read more at Vijesti

Students from the Elementary School "Marko Nuculovic" from Ulcinj, Irena Selcanin, Nora Selcanin and Anabela Radulovic, won the third place at the regional competition in programming by pocket computer micro: bits, which was organized by the British Council at the Digital Summit of the countries of the Western Balkans. Led by the teacher Alfredo Marinkovic, they created the project "Smart parking" - an automated system that detects the number of empty places and opens ramps and signals when the parking is full. Participants were asked to make a solution with the help of a pocket computer micro: bit that would be a response to a real problem.

"The idea for this project originated from where we live because there is no parking in our city that operates according to this principle. The ramp rises even though there are no vacant seats, so the drivers circle two or three times inside the parking lot. We have programmed that the micro: bits show the number of vacancies before the ramp itself, so the drivers immediately get the information they need," explains Irena Selcanin, a 9th-grade elementary school student from OS "Marko Nuculovic". 

At the regional programming competition, held within the British Council project "Schools for the 21st Century", students from 13 primary schools throughout the region participated. 

"Today we had the opportunity to see the projects of the pupils who were involved in the pilot phase of the program implemented in the previous two years. Thanks to the £10 million investment of the British government, now all the schools in the Western Balkans will have their own micro: bit devices. In this way, the British Council will enable millions of students to acquire new digital skills and basics of programming required by the modern labor market," said Vanja Madzgalj, director of the British Council in Montenegro. In evaluating the works, the jury took into account the critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as the teamwork and programming skills.

"A smart house, parking sensors, a timer for medicines are just some of the projects that kids showed today as possibilities of working with the micro: bit. The biggest benefit of this device is that technology is no longer present only in STEM cases, but it also has applications in language learning, music, history, and geography," said Magda Wood, president of the jury and head of the micro: bit foundation study.

"We are very proud that together with the British Council we work on the program "Schools for the 21st Century". This is our biggest international project that incorporates students from the Western Balkans into the same platform that is applied in the top ten countries in mathematics and science," she added. The stand with the exhibited works of the primary school students from Montenegro was also visited by the Minister of Education Damir Sehovic.

"The most difficult is to change rooted stereotypes, and we need a new system where students will not memorize the material, but where innovation will be encouraged. One of the ways to change the concept of teaching is the digitalization of education. We are grateful to the British Council because now all schools will have micro: bit pocket computers as part of the project "Schools for the 21st Century." Pilot experience is great, and micro: bit coding clubs are expanding. I appreciate that Great Britain has recognized that this project is needed for everyone and what enters our country," said Sehovic.

The three-year program "Schools for the 21st Century" in Serbia and across the Western Balkans is being implemented by the British Council, and in our country is realized in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. It will cover all primary schools in all cities.

For more information, please follow TMNs dedicated page

Text by Vijesti online, on April 8th 2019, read more at Vijesti

April 9, 2019 - Pianist Yuja Wang and clarinettist Andreas Ottensamer will perform at the XVIII KotorArt Don Branko's Music Days within two concerts, on 7 August in Luštica Bay in Tivat and 9 August in the Church of St. Spirit in Kotor. 

Tickets for these concerts, named 'The Blue Hour Magic', are on pre-sale with a limited quantity and at discounted prices at kotorart.me and Tobacco S Press kiosks.