Mostar World Music Festival 2008
Mostar World Music Festival 2008
The festival
With world music performers taking the stage in the evening and days filled with cultural and educational events, the Mostar World Music Festival’s programme is a truly exciting event with something to offer everyone.
The unique programme will include a series of organised cultural, visual and musical workshops for children and adults, a taste of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) musical and culinary traditions all combined with local wine tasting opportunities. Also on offer is the chance to see theatre shows and screenings of world music films, as well as a special screening of promotional films about BiH’s tourist offer.
Aimed specifically at people who are open and interested in other cultures, the event is also a chance to meet people from all walks of life: different generations, religions, nationalities and cultural backgrounds all united under one roof - the Mostar World Music Festival.
Our aims
Our aim is to embrace diverse cultural backgrounds and give visitors an insight into the variety, richness and unique personalities of BiH’s different cultural influences. Through music we hope to change preconceptions and destroy prejudices; helping, in turn, to develop tolerance and engage people in our heritage, reinforcing our democracy and cultural identity.
We believe culture is one of the best universal mechanisms for developing and promoting integration, which, with time and effort, can improve lives. We believe this is especially relevant for young people and children, enabling them to build their own identity through culture and helping them present and express their ideas and feelings more easily.
Given its location bridging East and West, Mostar is the ideal place to establish a world music festival. Aside from location, the city’s atmosphere, way of life and natural surroundings combined with the influences from multicultural Herzegovina, make it an inspiring setting for musicians and spectators alike.
Values of the festival
The spirit of the festival comes from our belief in the value of multicultural society and diversity. We believe co-operation in these respects can help demonstrate the importance of art in an increasingly globalised world, and, through music, facilitate international exchanges on all levels.
Mostar in essence and in character is a place of tolerance and openness. The long-term plan for the festival is to project this image of not only Mostar but also Herzegovina and BiH as a whole.
What else is on offer?
Aside from the inspiring programme of activities, a variety of promotions are also being planned as part of the festival including TV/radio and newspaper adverts, websites, posters, billboards, flyers, VIP passes, gifts and souvenirs (T-shirts, tourist guidebooks, maps of Mostar and BiH). In partnership with our sponsors we hope these promotions will maximise support for the natural richness of our country, encourage tourism as a means of integrating Mostar into a community, thereby returning Mostar to its rightful place on the cultural map.
The festival is set to attract both local and foreign journalists from leading world music magazines such as Songlines, Froots, Folker, and Global Rhythms. Again, through media coverage we hope to reinforce the attractive tourist offer Mostar provides and communicate our unique cultural traditions and homegrown world music talent to new audiences.
Summary
The main aim of the unique Mostar World Music Festival is to provide a lasting contribution to spreading tolerance throughout our region, restoring severed connections with the world and re-introducing Mostar and BiH as true cultural centres. In addition, we hope to reinforce BiH’s democratic values and return self-confidence to our young population, inspiring them to explore new initiatives and cultural themes.
In summary, the festival represents Mostar’s values – a special lifestyle, a unique atmosphere, and a chance to communicate with nature and the local identity.
