Opening of 16th saloon of antiwar cartoon
Biennial 16th exhibition of the best works that arrived to open competition this year was opened in the gallery of the National Museum in Kragujevac. Jury, represented by professor Spiro Radulovic, Peter Nieuvendijk-cartoonist from Netherlands and the president of International Federation of Cartoonists, Lazo Sredanovic, cartoonist from Montenegro, Dragutin Minic Karlo, satirist from Belgrade and Miodrag Stojilovic, the director of Saloon, examined 403 works of 186 authors from 46 countries of all the continents.
Grand prix « Peace messenger « and financial award of 1500 euros, which is a reward of International Association of Peace Messenger cities, was given to Jugoslav Vlahovic, cartoonist of week magazine NIN, by the president of this association Alfred Marder. Gold plaque was given to Tosa Borkovic, and the award to double winner, who won it in 2007 also, was delivered by the mayor of Kragujevac Veroljub Stevanovic. Silvery plaque, according to decision of jury, was given to Savo Babic, and bronze plaque to Luk Desemarker from Belgium.
The award of the mayor of Bidgosz went to Iran, and the award of the mayor of Ingolstadt went to Darko Drljevic in Montenegro. Bielesko-Biala gave the award to cartoonist from Romania Gheorg Matei, and Luka Lagator from Montenegro was given the award of Siren.Pitesti gave the award to Musa Gumus from Turkey, and Carrara from Italy gave the award to slovakien cartoonist Fedor Vica.
Adressing the present, the director of Saloon Miodrag Stojilovic, said that he is very proud of the fact that on the day of memory on victims that were executed 70 years ago and on the day when Kragujevac sends the message of peace to whole world, there are friends from more than 30 cities all over the world. Saloon is recognized in the world as true peaceful initiative and it was helpfull for our victims in a way that they found their own meaning in other programs related to peace. We are also happy because of the fact that the exhibition of the 15th Saloon of Antiwar cartoon saw more than thousand people in 11 cities of Europe, North and South Amerika, from Kragujevac, across New York, Poltava, Ingolstadt, Bielsko-Biala, Bidgosz, Belgrade, Limasol, all the way to Mexico City.
On that occassion, the mayor of Kragujevac Veroljub Stevanovic gave the Charter and the Medal of Honourable Citizen of Kragujevac to the president of Association of Peace Messenger Cities Alfred Marder, the member of fight against fascism, persistent peace activist, president of the comittee for peace of American university city New Haven. Namely, for his contribution to peace and affirmation of Kragujevac in the world, the city of Kragujevac awarded Mr Marder with the title of Honourable Citizen on 6th may, but Marder was detained and he could not be present on formal session because of his participance in peace mission.
The exhibition of Saloon was opened by the president of Kragujevac City Assembly and vice-president of Saloon Sasa Milenic.
