Jury for Presenting the 13th July Award, composed of: President Rajko Todorović-Todor, and members Mr Ilija Vujošević, prof. Igor Lakić PhD, Mr Miomir Vojinović, MA and Mr Asim Dizdarević, reached the Decision on awarding 13th July Lifetime Achievement Award to prof. Vukić Pulević, PhD.
It was also decided that the following be awarded for 2018:
- Mr Krsto Andrijašević, academic sculptor, for the exhibition "Face Mirror" and printing of the monograph "Krsto Andrijašević";
- Mr Aleksa Asanović, solo cellist, for achievements in the previous two years;
- author prof. Adnan Čirgić, PhD, for books "Dialectology of the Montenegrin language" and "Montenegrin Oral Lament".
President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Ivan Brajović, in his speech pointed out that Montenegro has always been a hot iron on the anvil of the past, forged under the strikes of the future.
"As there is no stone that does not remember a sacrifice for the freedom in Montenegro, and we do have our stones, if nothing else, there is almost no date that could not serve as the statehood name day of Montenegro. But, like some people and their acts stand out, so does the 13th July stand priminent over other dates, as the personification of the Montenegrin fervency for freedom above all, and the state before everything else. Regardless of the circumstance, the very often accomplished fact Montenegro had been brought to, but also during good times and troubles, its path and form have always depended on the visions of its champions, both from the political and social life."
He said that Montenegrins showed like few other nations in the world that they posess open-minded and freedom-loving DNA, which was especially expressed on 13th July 1941, as a result of all the genes that the freedom-loving insurgents left to their descendants as a legacy, but also as a pledge.
"What can I say except – May their memory live for their reputation, honor and freedom of Montenegro, brought centuries back by the first decades and wars of the XX century and taken centuries farward by the first decades and wars of the XXI century, primarily thanks to individuals who did not renounce our identity, and then again carved the Montenegrin spirit, and taken them back to an irreplaceable course and the path of the restoration of independence and autonomy of Montenegro for all time sake."
He added that the votaries of 13th July, as well as the winners of the 13th July Award, left a profound and indelible mark in the past and present, as our rivers left behind deep and ineradicable cliffs, not in geograpical sense, but for the good name of Montenegro.
Author prof. Adnan Čirgić, PhD, thanked the jury, on behalf of the winners, for this year's selection, emphasysing that the award named after the brightest holiday in over a thousand years old Montenegrin history binds both the jury and the winners.
"The fact that this year's jury awarded those whose dedication to Montenegro and its antifascist tradition has been undeniable, makes us hope that the state of Montenegro has stepped into the new era, at a time to appreciate itself and its values, being recognised in the world for those. The reputation of the Award and the importance of the date on the occasion of which it is being presented must be the recipient's guarantee to work perseveringly and honorably on the spiritual and cultural development of Montenegro."
The Decision on awarding the 13th July Award was reasoned by the President of the Jury, Mr Rajko Todorović - Todor.
Presentation of the 13th July Award – speech by President Brajović
Introductory speech by the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Ivan Brajović
Presentation of the 13th July Award
Speech by Mr Rajko Todorović Todor
Speech by Mr Adnan Čirgić
