Dissonant heritage and promotion of tourism in the case of Serbian medieval monuments in Kosovo

ABSTRACT

During and after the war in Kosovo in 1999, Serbian medieval monuments were recognised as symbols and bearers of Serbian identity. This led to the fact that among the Albanian population in Kosovo, they were seen as an undesirable legacy – a reflection of centuries of the existence of Serbs in Kosovo. Although the historical value of these monuments, four of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list of endangered sites, is not disputed, popular tourist publications open an unfounded debate and are used to alienate the historical identity of these places or to promote a distorted interpretation of them. Through popular media representations this paper will touch on the complexity of these monuments as dissonant heritage in the newly established state of Kosovo and its different uses and interpretations in the promotion of tourism.

KEYWORDS:

• medieval monuments in Kosovo
• war
• cultural heritage
• dissonant heritage
• interpretation
• tourism

Notes

1. In this paper we will use both the terms ‘Kosovo and Metohija’ and ‘Kosovo’. The first one is in line with the official policy of Serbia and refers to Kosovo as an Autonomous province and geographic area. The second term will be used to emphasise the position of the Serbian medieval monuments in the self-declared Independent state of Kosovo.

2. Example: Criteria for the selection of sites to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage list http://whc.unesco.org/en/criteria/

3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/371562.stm Retrieved 20 December 2014.

4. See more on: http://www.kosovo.net/default2.html Retrieved 1 January 2015.

5. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/724 Retrieved 19 December 2014.

6. CHwB is an independent non-governmental organization dedicated to rescuing and preserving cultural heritage affected by conflict, neglect or human and natural disaster. The regional seminar in their organization entitled ‘Past Stories and Future Memories’ was held between October 28 and October 30, 2013 in Prizren.

7. http://chwb.org/albania/news/open-call-for-the-regional-heritage-seminar-in-prizren-kosovo/ Retrieved 19 December 2014.

8. See also: http://spomenicikulture.mi.sanu.ac.rs/spomenik.php?id=328

9. http://prizren360.com/en/what-to-visit/monuments/01-the-saint-friday-church-levishka# Retrieved 19 December 2014.

10. See the criteria on: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/724/ Retrieved 20 November 2014.

11. http://prizren360.com/en/touristic-map Retrieved 21 December 2014.

12. http://www.mti-ks.org/en-us/Publications2 Retrieved 20 November 2014.

13. http://www.mti-ks.org/repository/docs/prospekti_eng.pdf Retrieved 20 November 2014.

14. The presentation of Shiperim Reka ‘The importance of strategic tourism development in a post/conflict context’ available on: http://www.regionalstudies.org/uploads/The_Importance_of_Strategic_Tourism.pdf

15. http://www.inyourpocket.com/kosovo/prizren/Sightseeing/Churches/Church-of-Our-Lady-of-Ljevis_62360v

16. http://kosovotourismcenter.com/prizeren.html Retrieved 20 November 2014.

17. http://kosovotourismcenter.com/peja.html Retrieved 20 November 2014.

18. http://kosovotourismcenter.com/decan.html Retrieved 20 November 2014.

19. Publication available on: http://www.pejatourism.org/en/pdf/informatori-turistik.pdf

20. http://kosovotourismcenter.com/decan.html Retrieved 20 November 2014.

21. Youngest population in Europe – almost 50% are under 20 years old.

22. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQRGHAdQjR0

23. The document has been produced with the assistance European Union Office in Kosovo.

24. http://kosovotourismcenter.com/prizeren.html Retrieved 20 November 2014.

25. See: http://www.srpskoblago.org/Archives/Decani/index.html Retrieved 20 November 2014.

26. http://www.postakosoves.com/?page=3,31 Retrieved 20 November 2014.

27. See the list on: https://www.rks-gov.net/sq-AL/Pages/ShtetKaneNjohurKosoven.aspx Retrieved 22 November 2014.

28. Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo available on: http://www.assembly-kosova.org/common/docs/Constitution1%20of%20the%20Republic%20of%20Kosovo.pdf Retrieved 22 November 2014.

29. http://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/Politika/59021/De%C4%8Dani±na±po%C5%A1tanskim±markama±Kosova.html Retrieved 20 November 2014.

30. These information are known from the documentation of Archive of the Republic Institute for Protection of Monuments – Belgrade, Register ‘Kosovo’, Letter from the Director of Institute for Protection and Research of Cultural Heritage to the Council for Education (26 September 1951).