LEARN TO SUCCEED 2017

The Learn to Succeed 2017 conference, organized by Real Estate Cluster, is the biggest and most important annual gathering of real estate agents in South East Europe

The 2nd Learn to Succeed conference is taking place in Belgrade, on 7th and 8th April, and is organized by Real Estate Cluster, a specialized association which members are companies and entrpreneurs engaged in the business of selling, designing, constructing and leasing real estate in Serbia. The Institute of Economic Sciences, based in Belgrade, is one of the Cluster's members.

What are the hot topics in regard to real estate legislation in Serbia? — Ever since a relevant law has been passed, we saw a decline in shadow economy in this segment. Earlier, its share was over 70% while now it does not exceed 35% which is just slightly over the share that shadow economy has in Serbia’s GDP. The quality of services rendered by real estate agents has been improved while the number of fake advertisements has been reduced. Several years ago, up to 100,000 fake advertisements used to appear every week. Certain real estate agents used these advertisements to lure in potential buyers and tenants. The result of this was a drop in turnover and deferred purchase because when clients responded to such advertisements they were met with excuses such as “the real estate has been sold”, or “it has been withdrawn from the market” given by real estate agents who were behind those advertisements.

What needs to be done in order to better regulate the system in this segment? — There is a plan to adopt amendments to the Real Eastate Brokerage Law with the view of eliminating its current flaws. Once the law is amended and supplemented, we will find out what a job contract should contain which would then facilitate real estate agents working on commission instead of being full-time employees. Real estate agents should also be allowed to open a company or a small business with a trust account in order to be able to hold client’s fudns until the terms and conditions of a real estate brokerage agreement have been honoured in full.

What is the main topic of this year’s conference? — The main topic of this year’s conference is making amendments to the Real Estate Brokerage Law which will facilitate an easier hiring of real estate agents and eliminate the flaws in the law that were noticed during its implementation. Improving the know-how and skills of real estate agents is an equally important subject that we are going to talk about on the second day of the conference. Additionally, there is the topic of networking between real estate brokers here and abroad which is one of the important goals of this conference. Apart from the lecturers, we expect a substantial number of representatives of real estate brokerages, large foreign companies and our colleagues, especially from the region, to attend.

Could you tell us about the conference’s programme? — The conference’s programme is devised in such way that, during the first day, the participants will be able to attend lectures and workshops about implementation of the relevant regulation held by real estate brokers, as well as workshops at which we are going to present the real estate markets in Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, Turkey, Dubai, and the US.

The second day of the conference is dedicate to improving the knowhow of real estate agents with the goal of bringing in investors from abroad, implementation of modern technologies and social networks in marketing, improving agents’ negotiation skills, providing exclusive brokerage services and creating and implementing successful business strategies. The conference participants are also going to acquire practical knowledge and information that they could immediately apply in their work.

Which of the world-renowned lecturers from the real estate segment are going to appear at

THE CONFERENCE HAS AN INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER WITH LECTURERS AND GUESTS FROM THE MOST DEVELOPED GLOBAL ECONOMIES, AS WELL AS FROM AFRICA, ASIA AND OUR REGION

the conference? — Our lecturers / keynote speakers are the presidents and representatives of international and national real estate brokerage associations, professional lecturers with decades of experience in real estate, and representatives of state institutions. Željko Stojanović from the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications will talk about the amendments to the Real Estate Brokerage Law, while other lecturers include the president of the Real Estate Brokerage Group in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Damir Borić, president of the Real Estate Brokerage Association in the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Dubravko Ranilović, the founder of FIABCI Slovenia and one of the most prominent experts in real estate brokerage regulation in the former Yugoslavia, Franci Gerbec and myself. The representatives of the State Market Inspection and the Administration for Prevention of Money Laundering will talk about the implementation of the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism. Representatives of the real estate brokerage associations from Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece and the US will talk about real estate markets in their respective countries. Director of Global Alliances and Strategic Communications at National Association of Realtors (NAR) Joe Schneider and president of the Russian Guild of Realtors, Tatiana Demenok will also address the conference participants.

NAR liaison for Serbia, Anthony Macaluso is also going to be one of the keynote speakers. Mr. Macaluso has 30 years of experience in training realtors for the most complex jobs in this segment, including the training for the designation of a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS). Another lecturer will be Alicia Matheson, who has been NAR’s keynote speaker since 2003 and has 20 years of the leadership experience in working in the Walt Disney Company where she trained thousands of employees and organizations from all over the world.

SECRET OF GOOD THEATRE CONCEALED IN MAGIC

The whole Belgrade was buzzing about the very first Dance Festival, and the magic that happened there. It is this magic that we have been nurturing all these years, and that conceals the secret of good theatre AJA JUNG Director of Belgrade Dance Festival

“The experience of creating a contemporary dance festival in Serbia is certainly unique and valuable. It is impossible to tell you about everything that goes into one day, let alone in 15 years of commitment to creating, producing, organizing and promoting an event like this. Many incredible and inexplicable situations have turned into anecdotes over time. However, I do think that very few people are able to jump across this long line of hurdles while running at full speed.”

There have been a total of 13 Belgrade dance festivals so far. Describe to us what is it like to develop a festival, which has already become a brand in itself, from virtually nothing? — A lot has changed from the very first festival until today. Our audience now numbers in thousands, there are hundreds of media reports, and we receive dozens and dozens of applications from choreographers and troupes wanting to perform at the festival.

Nothing much has changed in Serbia in the meantime, except that there is much less hope and willingness. I believe that the Belgrade Dance Festival is for the loyal audiences that plan their time around the festival’s programme. For them, the festival is some kind of genuine need. During the festival, our theatres are home to superb performances, producers from all over the globe are mingling together, world stars are here, we are witnesses to inimitable artistic breakthroughs, and are all absorbed into a very strong energy.

The Belgrade Dance Festival was born in Tel Aviv, in November 2003, when a few friends of mine talked me into organizing it. Back then, I also devised the programme for the very first festival that took place in April 2004. The performace that opened the first festival in Sava Centre and which marked the beginning of this adventure, was very different to everything that the Serbian dance scene had seen so far. Our choreographer was Konstantinos Rigos, and most of the music for the performance was made of Robbie Williams’ songs. The music was actually the reason why many people came in the first place.

However, what happened was a real spectacle! I don’t remember the performance that much because I had to take care of the geese which played an important

EACH YEAR, THE FESTIVAL GATHERS AROUND 23,000 SPECTATORS. ONE OF THE REASON WHY IT IS SO SUCCESSFUL LIES IN THE CONTEMPORANEITY OF IT AND THE VARIETY OF CONTENT

role in a certain segment. The then legendary director of the Belgrade Zoo, Vuk Bojovic had lent me 20 geese which arrived in cages. I was scared stiff while contemplating returning them to the zoo because they might be frightened by the dancers, lights, the stage… As it turned out, the geese did an excellent job and we couldn’t “talk” them into going back “home”. The next day, the entire Belgrade was buzzing about the geese, Williams, this new, elusive dance event, and the magic that had happened. It is this magic that we have been nurturing all these years, and that conceals the secret of good theatre.

And all of that has been happening in Serbia since 2004… How difficult or easy was to create this magic you talk of in a country like Serbia? — At that time, there was no contemporary dance scene in Serbia as such. It was all on an experimental level. People were scared that they would be bored watching these “contemporary” performances. The very small ballet audience was comprised of older, more traditional generations. We had to be very careful in creating the programme, as well as to cover a decades-long gap in absolutely no media reports about dance. We also had to discover certain anthological plays and important choreographers, and yet be modern and keep up with the rest of the world. We wowed the audiences with interesting and exceptional productions, big names,

a new marketing approach and by constantly working on promoting an artistic discipline that, in our country, had been marginalized by audiences, sponsors and the media.

On the other hand, putting a festival programme together was no easy feat because renowned troupes and choreographers were simply not interested in performing in Belgrade. When the second festival came around, and owing to our excellent references and dedication, we brought the ballet troupe of the Paris Opera here. This is what got the eyes of the world on us because they rarely had guest performances.

From then on everything was easier but the responsibility remained huge. When you win over big stars, then you have to keep accommodating them at all future festivals. Thanks to our professional attitude and huge effort, we have managed to bring the likes of Sylvie Guillem, Carla Fracci, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Angelin Preljoçaj, Dimitris Papaioannou, José Carlos Martínez, and Benjamin Millepied here. We also brought the Netherlands Dance Theatre, the Ballet Company of Teatro alla Scala from Milan, the Monte Carlo Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal… All of them came here, to this region, for the very first time, in response to our invitation.

All of this has been or rather is happening in Belgrade. Has your success been frowned upon? — Belgrade is a city of my birth where my family has been living since 19th century. I love Belgrade, and my own piece of sky above Dorćol. I believe that the Belgrade Dance Festival would not have been so important or interesting as a phenomenon if it had taken place a few hundred kilometres from our city. Those who know the situation well also know how difficult is to dance here.

I had many reasons just to turn around and leave. I still do. As the festival grew and became more successful, things became more difficult. You have more enemies, struggles, backstabbing, open and hidden hatred, cheering to fail… Many have failed to understand the fact that I remained true to myself, and created the first serious, privately run event in Serbia. As if something was snatched underneath the feet of those who had imagined themselves to be the perennial owners of theatre stages and events.

I have lost many friends when I started charging the entrance fee because that had not been customary up to that point. A lot has happened. I have received threats, anonymous letters, the media have been criticizing me, and I was belittled and lied about everywhere I went. In time I learned how to deal with all of this and I finally came to understand that when feathers are not ruffled, you are dangerously close to becoming average.

I never want for the Belgrade Dance Festival to be average, and that’s why I can grasp certain things. On the other hand, if there weren’t so much resistance, would Serbia have one of the best contemporary dance events in the world? Maybe the National Dance Foundation would also not exist, which has regularly been working with young talent and the best teachers and choreographers. The Foundation is also the place where some for very young dancers are being created, and where dancers learn, discover and create. Spite is a very flammable fuel! Could you tell us what are you most proud of and what do you consider your biggest success when it comes to the festival? Could you have done something differently? I don’t believe that any of us, considering the times and the environment we are living in, could be at peace and proud. I am glad that I have invested my energy into something that became visible. If the Belgrade Dance Festival had not become a worldwide brand, I would have never forgiven it all the sleepless nights I had to endure. A small group of women created an event that the newspapers like the Guardian, the New York Times, and Le Monde have written about. We did something that was important both for Belgrade and Serbia.

At the time when almost no state-run cultural institutions are functioning properly, there is this private initiative which, thanks to someone’s boundless energy, time, contacts and knowledge, became a widely known and respectable culture project. A brand, if you like!

IF THE BELGRADE DANCE FESTIVAL HAD NOT

BECOME A WORLDWIDE BRAND, I WOULD HAVE NEVER FORGIVEN IT ALL THE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS I HAD TO ENDURE

rather interesting performances

— I am neither proud nor happy. I am glad to hear that my festival is being compared to the likes of BITEF at its height, but one should also consider completely different circumstances too. I am the only one that carries the risk with the each new Belgrade Dance Festival. Success is easy to share, but the risk is sometimes unbearable. I believe that something is bound to change for better.

Could I have done something differently, you ask? Yes, I definitely could have and maybe it would have been better if I had left, mainly for my children. But that is something I don’t think about.

You have always brought the most renowned artists to Serbia. What should we not miss at this year’s 14th Belgrade Dance Festival? — Each year, the festival gathers around 23,000 spectators. For fourteen years I haven’t been able to single out a single performance. They are all attractive and I have fought for each and every one of them – there were dates to book, terms and conditions to agree on, technical problems to overcome, effort to accommodate every single dancer and choreographer, and last but not least, find the partners that would help us bring the entire idea to fruition in front of the Belgrade audiences.

This year, there is a huge interest for Betroffenheit, performed by the Kidd Pivot Performing from Vancouver. A new performace by Akram Khan, suitable for the whole family, humorously portrays the feelings of a young Bangladeshi man who is coming to London.

The extravagant Scottish Dance Theatre brings us a new performace by Damien Jalet. The three premieres brought to us by the celebrated Dutch dance troupe, Introdans will give the audience an opportunity to see Mauro Bigonzetti’s ‘Cantata’, Dimitris Papaioannu’s visual spectacle called ‘Nowhere’, and a passionate performance that is Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s ‘In Memoriam’.

Helena Waldmann has prepared a politically charged piece which will have its international premiere in Belgrade. The New York based company Ballet Hispanico will take us through a fantastic journey through Havana’s night clubs in the 1950s, while the French dance company, Kafig will perform a piece by Mourad Merzouki, showcasing incredible 3D illusions.

The Finnish dance star, Tero Saarinen is also coming to Belgrade. Serbian actor Pavle Pekić will perform in a play by Ioannis Mandafounis. The ballet company of the Croatian National Theatre from Zagreb will be performing in Belgrade for the first time in 15 years.

I should not forget the star of ‘Sex and the City’, an actor and a ballet superstar – Mikhail Baryshnikov!

On behalf of this year’s festival, we would like to thank the embassies of the countries that are participating in the festival, the Serbian Ministry of Culture, the City of Belgrade, the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, the Vojvodinian Government, Vip Mobile which has been our main partner for 10 years now, Societe Generale Bank, the Hemofarm Foundation, companies Nestle Adriatic, Nivea, DDOR Novi Sad, Heineken Serbia, Tikkurila, Vahali, Planmeca, Fashion & Friends, Mercedes-Benz, and others.

CAREER STAGES – MY VERSION

PART TWO

In the previous issue, I presented to you three career stages: Happy Backpacker, Accidental Tourist and Business Globetrotter

STEVAN VRANEŠ Writer, corporate affairs professional, blogger

Now we will move on go to some more mature stages, though that’s not necessarily connected with your life stages and your age. Some people start young and have rocket-fast careers, while others are late bloomers. But matching career and life stages is a different and very complex topic, so let’s move to the next stage…

STAGE FOUR – WEEKEND HOME TOURIST

Now it’s time to build your base and find your safe harbour, where you will be able to feel very comfortable and give your best. It’s time for your most fruitful business years and best results.

At this stage you should be capable of creating efficient teams, leading teams that have more than one layer below you, and making difficult decisions without too much stress. You work a lot, more than you would like to, but you have the impression that you are building something big and important. This is the peak of your career. You are still enjoying the journey more than worrying about the destination. And that’s exciting!

What is most important to learn at this stage: more people will try to damage you than help you; you should know how to build strong relationships with loyal associates, because you can’t manage alone at this stage; you should master all timing issues and stress management. You should learn how to recognise and support innovation and talent. You should learn how to kill what is not good in a fast and efficient way.

At this career stage, you should leave when you feel you are at the very top. It’s cold at the top, so don’t stay there too long. There are more important things in life.

STAGE FIVE – JAPANESE TOURIST

You are a bit tired when you reach this career stage. You know a lot; you’ve seen many things, done a lot of good and bad projects, met hundreds of people… That was all exciting, but also tiring. But it’s still not time to say goodbye! Now is the time to leverage all experience and knowledge.

You should assess situations and business challenges very quickly. Snapshots should be enough for you. Don’t overanalyse, just move, move, move… Don’t get stuck with one project or one company at this phase. This is perhaps your final chance to try things you didn’t manage to do in the past. A

IN THE PAST, PEOPLE WOULD MAKE A JOKE OUT OF PEOPLE WHO TRY MARIJUANA VERY LATE IN LIFE, THOUGH TODAY THAT’S NO LONGER AN ISSUE

new industry, new role, new experience… But not as a fresh start that requires a lot of investments, rather more like an experiment. In the past, people would make a joke out of people who try marijuana very late in life, though today that’s no longer an issue. So, find your guilty pleasures and do some things that you have maybe skipped in earlier stages. You are not making your legacy at this stage, but you can have quite a lot of fun!

What is most important to learn at this stage: making quick decisions without overanalysing them, advising instead of working handson, ignoring (people, in most cases), saying no. Polish your political skills in order to secure some good consultancy opportunities in the future.

When is the right time to leave this stage? When you’ve taken every photo you ever wanted to take!

STAGE SIX – CRUISE SHIP TOURIST

At this stage, others should do everything for you. You can enjoy a famous helicopter view.

What is most important to learn at this stage: Nothing! If you haven’t learnt everything you need by now, it’s simply too late. You can perhaps start learning to paint or cook or speak another language.

Open a good bottle of wine and congratulate yourself on everything you’ve done well, and forgive yourself for everything you failed to do well. Cheers!

Blog about personal and career development - Mission 45 https://stevanvranes.wordpress.com/

CELTS DON'T KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT

The band Orthodox Celts, in the 25th year of its existence, has released its long-awaited sixth studio album, entitled “Many Mouths Shut”. The album was produced by Dejan Lalić, while the band recently launched its own label, O'Celts Records, through which the new album was released

“Many Mouths Shut” includes 13 tracks, six traditional Irish songs and seven original Orthodox Celts tracks. Particularly interesting is the album cover, which is the work of the great Walter Venturi, one of the world’s top cartoonists. In cooperation with Una Isailović, the band’s first animated music video was made for the song “I Wish You The Very Worst”, which will be the best introduction to the concert that will promote the new album on St. Patrick’s Day, in the Great Hall of the Belgrade Youth Centre. For this issue we spoke to the band’s frontman, Aca Seltik.

During one birthday party, as kids, we were unable to create a relaxed atmosphere until we played the music of Irish folk-rock band The Pogues. Later we used to create that atmosphere by playing Orthodox Celts songs. Was this idea – the true rebellious joy that the Celts have – the guideline for the formation of the band? — Well ... Yes! It’s just that we were unable to define it in this way at that point. Specifically, a group of Orthodox Celts was created virtually from the need to play and to express in a way that felt like an instinctive fit for us. It was the form that we preferred. It turned out that there was already much more metaphysics than we could assume. On the other hand, one of the main things was the fact that we had nowhere to listen to it live, so we practically played so that we could ourselves enjoy the music and the energy that is an integral part of that music and the common denominator of ourselves and the audience that reacted to it.

Who do you consider as being your role models? The Pogues, The Dropkick Murphys... someone else? — There are many role models who have influenced me. This is not a simple question at all. But, okay, I will confine myself to the genre in question... So, certainly the greatest literary influence on me as a songwriter was Shane MacGowan. This is what I’ve always tried to attain: the Shane-wannabe ease of streaming images in the lyrics and that’s what makes him, in my eyes, the greatest Rocker or Celtic Rocker, one of the greatest poets of all time. I like the ability to close your eyes while listening to his song and that at the same moment you see images in your head, on your “home big screen”. And, as far as personality and appearance as a whole are concerned, two role models are unsurpassed: Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners, whom I affectionately call “my grandpa”, and Ian Anderson, the Jethro Tull mastermind. Ah, yes, I can never forget, perhaps the greatest of the greatest, Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. And, I might add, after The Pogues there were no other bands from this genre that would have a significant impact on us, better to say, from which we drew any influence. And that reflects their timeless greatness, making it impossible to confuse them with any other band. And now all these new guys... All these are divided into two groups: they are either total punk or dry folk. There is nothing in between.

Genetic studies suggest that the residents of the former Yugoslavia largely originate from the first Romanised and then Slavicised Celts. The similarities in physical appearance and mentality are more than obvious. Even you, I believe, have found “the Celtic gene” in yourself? — I belong to the haplotype R1A M45, which is the most typical Slavic gene and it suggests that my ancient male ancestors originated somewhere from the triangle between Poland, Ukraine and Belarus. But that does not mean

THERE IS KIND OF PROOF THAT WE ARE CELTS,

I.E., OF THE NATIONS THAT WE NOW CALL CELTIC, AND IF WE ARE NOT THE SAME PEOPLE, THEN WE ARE BROTHERS FROM THE SAME MOTHER, SEPARATED A FEW THOUSAND YEARS AGO

that the Celts are not in this story. My deepest conviction is that the Celts are one part of a former Slavic grouping, and the similarities that you mentioned just provide more proof of that.

Did you believe that this musical adventure would last for 25 years and that the culture of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day would be “implanted” in Serbia? How much of a pleasure is it for you to know that you have contributed to that? — Never, not in my wildest dreams! If someone had said back then that people would listen to my songs and force me to write and record new albums, and even ask me for an opinion, and attach special significance to my opinion, I would think they were crazy. But, well... that makes the satisfaction even greater. Then again, recognising ourselves on a genetic level or, as I like to say, the “level under the threshold” soon followed, and it is kind of proof that we are Celts, i.e., of the nations that we now call Celtic, and if we are not the same people, then we are brothers from the same mother, separated a few thousand years ago.

You have released a new album after a long break. What comes next? What promotions are planned, along with the usual St. Patrick’s Day concert in March? We hope to see more of you as a result of this album. — This album is unique in many ways. It comes in a year during which we have plenty of reason to celebrate, but none of that can compare with the fact that this is a true Orthodox Celts album in every sense of the word. Here I mean the fact that we did almost everything ourselves and this is what we are today, here and now, from the first tone to the last, from the first verse to the last. Special thanks go to our fans and friends, who leapt from the first rows at concerts into the studio and sang background vocals together with us. We will be sure to work hard to perform as much as possible, because the stage is our natural habitat, and I hope it will be followed by a few more videos, and many, many concerts.

THE SOUL OF ZEMUN AND THE SPIRIT OF MODERN FISHERMAN

THE RESTAURANT IS

KEEPING UP WITH THE MODERN TRENDS AND IS KNOWN FOR THE FRESHNESS AND HIGH QUALITY OF ITS FOOD

Over a century ago, fisherman Vicentije Vukotić opened a tavern on the ground floor of his house which quickly became very popular for its unique fish chowder that is still prepared with the same recipe today

This beautiful house, located on the right bank of the River Danube, is architecturally charming, and has always been the meeting place of famous people. For fishermen, this is the first place they come to, after a day spent fishing, with buckets full of freshly caught fish. This is something that Šaran is proud of even today.

The Šaran Restaurant wows with its warm atmosphere, exquisite cuisine, friendly service and a wide variety of drinks. The house is full of massive pieces of furniture made of solid wood, the walls are painted in warm yellows, the materials used here reflect the colours of the Danube, while the small details, intricately woven into the ambiance, give everything a special charm.

Today, Šaran is widely popular among Belgrade restaurants mainly because of its excellent cuisine. Years of work and experience, youthful enthusiasm, and the ambitious, well-coordinated team have all contributed to the unique offer and quality that the restaurant has. Šaran is a four star fish restaurant that is known for nurturing the Danube tradition. A wide variety of traditional, but very special dishes made with freshwater fish are the staple of the restaurant. However, Šaran took a step further and now serves seafood. The restaurant is keeping up with the modern trends and is known for the freshness and high quality of its food. There is more to eat here than fish though. Šaran also makes its own desserts.

Apart from the good food, drinks, friendly service and relaxed atmosphere, Šaran is known for the music. Every night, you will be entertained by various tambouritza bands and their lovely instruments and voices.

Welcome! The Šaran Restaurant is here for you.

Restaurant Šaran Kej Oslobođenja 53, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia, Tel: +381 11 261 82 35 Mob: +381 69 261 82 35 e-mail: slash.pro@ikom.rs www.saran.co.rs

ONCE KOVAČ, ALWAYS KOVAČ! ONCE KAFANA, ALWAYS KAFANA

Where once a blacksmiterhy stood, on the Avala Road, the legendary tavern Kovač was opened in 1932 as a meeting place for travellers and the lovers of good food

A lot of food has been eaten and many beverages drank in Kovač since then. Many stories have been told, and many people stayed awake until dawn listening to the beautiful sounds of the tamburitza and guitar, the strong double bass and the accordion. Kovač is a fairy tale set in reality, perfect for all hedonists. It lies amidst the most fragrant shade in Voždovac, created by old lime trees which make Voždovac one of the most interesting parts of our capital city.

Guests came and went, customs changed, but one rule remained the same – you always return to Kovač. Many started building their own happiness in Kovač. Thousands of weddings took place at the tavern, many wedding wovs have been exchanged. One of the urban legends says that the best journalists in Belgrade, who studied at the nearby Faculty of Political Sciences, actually learned everything that had to be learned about one of their career staples – the kafana (tavern in Serbian)- right here, in Kovač.

Kovač, the beautiful old corner house, restored and equipped in line with the latest catering standards, still has its visual authenticity. When you enter it, you immediately feel as a guest of the real Serbian hosts from olden days, somewhat forgotten in this day and age. At the same time, the tavern's contemporary elements complement its functionality where modern and ethno-elements go hand in hand in an archaic setting. The menu is all about the traditional Serbian cuisine – corn bread (proja), homemade cheese, creamy cheese (kajmak) and prosciutto for breakfast. Then there is homemade bread, veal and lamb baked under the sač (old-fashioned metal lid), stuffed peppers, young goat meat cooked in milk, smoked porked knuckles with pasta, Leskovačka Mućkalica (a stew made of barbecued meat and vegetables), and various barbecued meats. All of our grilled meat dishes are barbecued on charcoal which gives them

KOVAČ IS THE FAVOURITE

DESTINATION OF EVERYBODY WHO APPRECIATES THE CULT OF REAL KAFANA AS A FUSION OF TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY

special aroma. Our chefs also prepare their own winter stores in the old-fashioned way, using wooden barrels and glass jars. Our desserts are out of this world – orasnice, tufahije, baklava, the famous cold pancakes, homemade cream pies, and chocolate cake made with wild oranges tickle both the stomachs and senses of gourmands.

If you are a fan of young or old wine, Kovač has a little piece of heaven waiting for you. Our walls, which are steeped in tradition and history, are now enclosing on a huge wine cellar which has 300 labels and the capacity of over 2,000 bottles. Of course, this does not mean that we have forgotten the „queen of all drinks“ – rakija. Kovač stocks this traditional Serbian brandy in all flavours – quince, apricot, herbs, plum, grapes, honey – served both in glass and čokanj (a bottle made of baked earth) which satisfy the delicate palates of the most seasoned connoisseurs and fans of this beverage.

Kovač's staff is made of young people who have a lot of experience, good education and most importantly, are very aware of the importance of nurturing the tradition. The tavern did not become successful overnight but rather it took us years to get to where we are today.

So, come over, close your eyes and enter into this wonderful world. The caring staff of the Kovač tavern will take care of everything else.

Restaurant Kovač Bulevar Oslobođenja 22 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Tel: +381 11 246 23 43 Mob: +381 63 415 215 e-mail: info@kovacgroup.com www.restorankovac.com

János Benyus, István Flammer, Bence Mészáros and Máté Hamar

FOR MEGALOMANIACS 4

March, 3 20:00

Grand Hall of the Kolarac Foundation

Conductor: Cristian Mandeal Soloists: János Benyus, István Flammer, Bence Mészáros, Máté Hamar French Horns A. Schönberg: Verklärte Nacht R. Schumann: Concerto for Four French horns and Orchestra H. Berlioz: Symphonie funèbre et triomphale

Andrei Ionită

FOR LOVERS 4

March, 10 20:00

Grand Hall of the Kolarac Foundation

Conductor: Adrian Prabava Soloist: Andrej Ionitâ, violoncello P. I. Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliette, overture-fantasy G. Faure: Elegy for violoncello and orchestra K. Saint-Saëns: Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra M. Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, suites Nos. 1 and 2 Concert dedicated to the memory of Zoran Đinđić

John Axelrod

FOR CONNOISSEURS 4

March 17, 20:00 Grand Hall of the Kolarac Foundation

John Axelrod G. Mahler: Symphony No. 6

CHILDREN’S CONCERTS „MIJA MOUSE JOURNEYS

Weekdays, from 23 – 31 March at 10 am and 12 noon

Belgrade Philharmonic Hall Conductor: Radan Jovanović

2CELLOS IN BELGRADE March 25th 2017

It all began five years ago when they played Michael Jackson's hit "Smooth Criminal" on cellos, recorded a video, posted it on YouTube channel and, in less than 3 months, collected more than 5 million views! That same year, they signed a contract with Sony Masterworks and released their first album on which they played the "Smooth Criminal" too and this album has become one of the best-selling albums. They are Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser - The world's musical attraction known as 2CELLOS and they will have the concert on March 25th in Belgrade Arena starting at 8 pm.

CONCERT PROGRAMME March 2017

Wednesday, 1st at 18.00 Music Gallery CYCLE: ENCOUNTER WITH AN ARTIST Bogdan Djordjević, piano Production: Music Centre Admission free

Friday, 3rd at 20.00 Concert Hall BELGRADE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Conductor: Cristian Mandeal Soloists: János Benyus, István Flammer, Bence Mészáros, Máté Hamar/ French Horns Programme: A. Schönberg, R. Schumann, H. Berlioz Production: Belgrade Philharmonic

Thursday, 4th at 20.00 Concert Hall KOLARAC – YOUR WORLD OF MUSIC Katharina Uhde, violin, Bruno Canino, piano Programme: LV Beethoven/ Sonatas for Violin and Piano/Op. 12, No. 1, Op. 12, No. 3; Op. 96 Production: Music Centre

Sunday, 5th at 11.00 Concert Hall KOLARAC PODIUM OF CHAMBER MUSIC Stana Krstajić, flute Sandra Vučenović Schnabel, piano Programme: Z. Vauda, M. Stojadinović Milić, D. Despić, I. Stefanović, A. Krstajić, K. Kovač, V. Stanojević, D. Jovanović, J.S. Bach Production: Music Centre

Friday, 5th at 20.00 Concert Hall KOLARAC – YOUR WORLD OF MUSIC Katharina Uhde, violin, Bruno Canino, piano Programme: L.van Beethoven – Sonatas for Violin and Piano/Op. 30, No. 1; Op. 47 Production: Music Centre

Wednesday, 8th at 20.00 Music Gallery CYCLE: ENCOUNTER WITH AN ARTIST Rastko Popović, viola Marijana Savov Stojanović, piano Programme: Production: Music Centre Wednesday, 8th at 20.00 Concert Hall RTS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA “LADIES CHOSING” Adalisa Castellaneta, guitar (Italy) Nadja Dornik, harpsichord Conductors: Olga Milićević, Natalija Mićić, Olivera Sekulić Barac Programme: G. Verdi, J. Rodrigo, A. Ginastera, P.I. Tchaikovsky Production: RTS Music Production

Friday, 10th at 20.00 Concert Hal BELGRADE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Conductor: Adrian Prabava Soloist: Andrej Ionitâ, violoncello Programme: P. I. Tchaikovsky, G. Faure, C. Saint-Saëns, M. Ravel Production: Belgrade Philharmonic

Sunday, 12th at 11.00 Concert Hall KOLARAC PODIUM OF CHAMBER MUSIC Italian Baroque Music Ensemble Parnas interpreting Baroque music Marija Gajić, soprano, Dragana Živković, soprano, Serin Mansouri, violin, Filip Milinković, cello, Ana Rančić, harpsichord, Svetlana Stojanović Kutlača, harpsichord Italian Early Baroque: Monteverdi, Frescobaldi, Caccini.. Production: Music Centre

Tuesday, 14th at 20.00 Concert Hall CONCERT OF MUSIC SCHOOL VUČKOVIĆ

Wednesday, 15th at 18.00 Music Gallery

SCHOOL FOR MUSICALLY GIFTED CHILDREN - ĆUPRIJA Production: Music Centre

Wednesday, 15th at 20.00 Concert Hall CONCERT OF MUSIC SCHOOL STANKOVIĆ

Thursday, 16th at 19.00 Concert Hall CHARITY CONCERT Production: Sebian Doctor Society

Friday, 17th at 20.00 Concert Hall BELGRADE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Conductor: John Axelrod Programme: G.Mahler/ Symphony No. 6 Production: Belgrade Philharmonic

Saturday, 18th at 20.00 Concer Hall RTS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Unfinished Concert Conductor: Bojan Suđić Programme: Schubert, Mozart Production: RTS Music Production

Sunday, 19th at 11.00 Concert Hall KOLARAC PODIUM OF CHAMBER MUSIC School for musically gifted children - Ćuprija Production: Music Centre

Monday, 20th at 20.00 Concert Hall OPENING CEREMONY 18TH GUITAR ART FESTIVAL A fusion of Latin American music Roberto Ausell, Aleksandar Nikolić, bandoneon & Anima Musicae Chamber Orchestra Production: Guitar Art Festival

March 21st – March 29th THE 47TH INTERNATIONAL JEUNESSES MUSICALES COMPETITION BELGRADE Category FLUTE

Thursday, 30th at 20.00 Concert Hall OPERA GALA RTS Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Bojan Suđić Zoran Todorović, tenor Production: RTS Music Production

BELGRADE DOCUMENTARY AND SHORT FILM FESTIVAL - 64TH EDITION March 30 – April 2, 2017 | Belgrade Youth Center

The Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival is the oldest film festival in the country. Ever since its first edition it has been the most important, and during certain periods of time the only platform for domestic filmmakers to show their documentaries, experimental, animated and short films to the audience and peers from all over the world. More info on www.martovski.rs