Petnjica Celebrates Literature and Local Heritage

Petnjica is hosting two special literary events tonight, August 14th. These events are part of the "Bihor Cultural Summer" and the 19th "Homeland Paths – Bihor 2026" Story Festival. The programs will take place at the Cultural Center in Petnjica.

The evening begins at 8 PM with the promotion of Kemal Musić's novel-poem, "Mrtvare." Professor Dr. Dženan Kos, writer Božidar Proročić, and Musić himself will discuss the book. "Mrtvare" is a complex novel-poem. It connects two painful historical events: the Šahovići tragedy of 1924 and the Srebrenica genocide. The story follows two main characters. Adem Memić carries a piece of his homeland after the 1924 events. Bekir Demirović carries books from a destroyed library during the Srebrenica July. The title "Mrtvare" means "shoes for the dead." These shoes were given to living people in besieged Srebrenica. The book uses this image as a symbol of persecution, suffering, and historical memory. It warns that evil grows from hateful words and indifference. The novel aims to honor victims, fight forgetfulness, and encourage understanding. Kemal Musić, born in 1972, is an award-winning writer, journalist, and cultural expert.

After the book promotion, the festival continues at 9 PM with the "Evening of Awarded Stories." Awards will be given to authors whose stories best capture Bihor and its heritage. A jury, including Professor Ljerka Petković, Dr. Ena Begović, and writer Ersan Muhović, chose the best stories. These stories explored themes like leaving and returning home, illness, poverty, and women's challenges. They showed the strength of roots and the search for meaning in difficult times.

Other participants will include members from the Homeland Club "Bihor" and the Bosniak Donor Fund from Luxembourg. Poets Enver Muratović and Rebeka Čilović will also join. Young musicians Asia Džogović and Dado Pajković will provide musical entertainment. The organizers, NGO Cultural Center Bihor, say these events highlight modern literature and the importance of remembering the past. They believe Bihor lives on through its stories and memories, passed down through generations.