On 12 February 2019, the Confucius Institute of the University of Banja Luka and the Grammar School organized the lecture titled 'The Chinese-Serbian Constellation’ given by professor Ivan Jevdjovic.
Professor Jevdjovic talked about the similarities of the two cultures with respect to the tradition and epic literary work in which supernatural beings are fighting the evil along with the heroes.
Inspired by the story of Chinese warrior Hua Mulan, he particularly pointed out the significance and role of the dragon as a supernatural being who, in the tradition and literature of both nations, is referred to as their guardian.
„I am pleased that, at the initiative of the Confucius Institute of the University of Banja Luka, I had the opportunity to address this topic in a new way, linking the role of the dragon in our tradition with their role in the Chinese tradition,“ said Jevdjovic and added that while researching the material for this lecture he became aware of things that he was not aware of before and that he is now more interested in learning about Chinese culture.
Professor Ivan Jevdjovic believes that, in addition to the importance of nations fostering their tradition and connection with their ancestors, it is also very important that they strive to constantly explore and connect with other nations and cultures.
Ljiljana Stevic, Director of the Confucius Institute of the University of Banja Luka, said that this lecture was one in a series of events organized by the Confucius Institute in February on the occasion of marking the Chinese New Year, at which the citizens have the opportunity to get familiar with different aspects of Chinese culture and learn more about the customs and tradition of the People's Republic of China.
In this month, more than 500 Confucius institutes in over 140 countries organize public events on this occasion, where the culture and tradition of China are shared with the citizens of local communities.
Professor Ivan Jevdjovic is the professor of Serbian Language and Literature in the Grammar School of Banja Luka.
.
