Many streets in Baščaršija, the heart of the old Sarajevo, are named by old crafts, which are deeply entrenched in BiH tradition and tradition of Sarajevo, reports Anadolu Agency.
Preservation of tradition of old crafts was the motive for organising the conference ”The significance of old crafts – historical, cultural and economic significance” which will held in February in the organisation of Association ”Bedem”, SKY Media, Zone of Improved Business of Baščaršija and Association for Intercultural Activities and Saving the Heritage of BIH.
Member of the Association for Intercultural Activities and Saving the Heritage of BIH Sejdalija Gušić said that the conference will try to answer the question how to bring closer the crafts to tourists and to citizens of Sarajevo, and how to make the moveable heritage of BiH economically sustainable.
”There are very few people who deal with these crafts, which were passed on from generation to generation, but globalisation and economic progress do not give optimism that these crafts could expand’’, said Gušić.
Today, the most common craftsmen in Baščaršija are coppersmiths and goldsmiths, and in early 19th century there were more than 600 saddlers in Sarajevo, and today there are only two or three.
Lamija Skaka from the Association ”Bedem” said that the aim of the Association is the affirmation of historical values of old crafts; collecting the stories, events and legends about Baščaršija and its craftsmen.
The development of crafts in Sarajevo came with the Ottomans, because they already had developed urban civilization, and many of those crafts are deeply entrenched in BiH and Sarajevo tradition.
