Today’s program will be presented in Montenegrin and English, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Mongolian, (Montenegrin,) Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai.

Greetings generous viewers, and welcome to today’s program featuring the beautiful Balkan country called Montenegro. A gloriously mountainous land, Montenegro is located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea in southeastern Europe. Let’s find out more from His Excellency Milomir Mihaljević, the Ambassador of Montenegro to the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, as well as Ambassador of Montenegro to the Swiss Confederation.

First of all, I may introduce my country. You know that it is a country situated in the southeastern Europe, namely in the Balkan region, western Balkans, and much more precisely at the south of the Adriatic Sea. The country is about 14,000 square kilometers, but with different landscapes and dramatic contrasts.

On the one side, we have the Adriatic seacoast, with numerous old cities, cities which are old for thousands of years. And also the Bay of Kotor. The Bay of Kotor is one renowned fjord in the southern Europe. From the other part, we have this mountainous area, it is the northern area. And it is really the big contrast between this seacoast area and mountainous area. But they are so close to each other that you can enjoy them even simultaneously. Let us say that it is two-hours’ drive by car from the sea to the mountain .

Really? That's fantastic. So in one day, you can get the sea and the mountains.

Yes, that is like that.. And I would mention some settlements in the southern part of the country. It is the Ulcinj with its old town. Then Bar also with its old town. Then we have Budva with the citadels, then Kotor. Then in the Bay of Kotor, we have also Risan and Perast, then Herceg Novi with its heritage. And all of these settlements are old for thousands of years. Many cultures passed through there.

The first people to settle in present-day Montenegro were a group of tribes known as the Illyrians. In 9 AD, there came the Romans, and in the 5th and 6th centuries, Slavic people formed an independent medieval state called Duklja. After gaining independence from the Byzantine Empire, Duklja became a powerful principality of the Serbian noble dynasty, the House of Vlastimirović, and came to be known as Zeta.

Montenegro eventually became a part of the Ottoman Empire, then of the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Montenegro became the independent country she is today on June 3, 2006. Throughout the many changes, the Montenegrin people, now over 624,000 strong, in many ways have preserved their autonomy and culture.

We always through the centuries saved our independence. Montenegro is a continuity, was a mostly independent country.

The people are proud of themselves and of their history and now they esteem what was inherited from the past.

Our population is a mixture of religion, and of the ethnicity. Most of the Montenegrins are Christian Orthodox, but we have also huge Islamic population, Sunni Muslims, which run their own Islamic community in Montenegro. And there are also a part of Roman Catholic. The people live in peace and harmony, and it is one of the greatest values of Montenegro .

Along with a long history of tolerance amongst her people, Montenegrins have developed a sophisticated culture. Their first literary works, for example, are ten centuries old. Treasured manuscripts dating from the 13th century are still preserved in Montenegro’s monasteries.

One of the most important aspects of Montenegrin culture is the spirit of “Humanity and Gallantry.” In this ethical ideal, described by the famous Montenegrin writer Marko Miljanov, those who protect the nation must have virtues of integrity, humility, self-sacrifice, respect for others, etc. Such values of the Montenegrin people have been kept alive through the arts, such as folk epic poetry and music.

It is said that Montenegrins are very talented for poetry and for paintings. Our greatest poet is Petar II . We name him Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, it is in our language.

Petar II Petrović-Njegoš is a celebrated hero of Montenegro. A ruling prince and the bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church of Montenegro, he not only helped to build the Montenegro state, he was one of the greatest poets of the Serbian language of all time. Petar II Petrović-Njegoš is the author of the great epic poem “The Ray of Microcosm” about his views on humans, their origin, and relationship with God.

In 1847, he published his most famous masterpiece, titled “The Mountain Wreath.” This epic poetic drama portrays the strong will of the people for freedom, dignity, and justice. Also well depicted are aspects of Montenegrin life, traditions, and philosophical beliefs. In “The Mountain Wreath,” Petar II Petrović-Njegoš wished to convey his faith in humans’ basic goodness, as well as the importance of constantly striving for one’s rights and goodness in the world. This epic poem is also lauded for its memorable metaphors, images, and humor. Many of the verses have become well-known proverbs, such as: “When things go well ‘tis easy to be good, In suffering one learns who is the hero!”

We are also talented for painting. And some of the Montenegrin painters and drawers today are of the world class.

I would name one most famous, that is Miodrag “Dado” Djuric who lived in Paris for years and decades

Other famous Montenegrin artists, among many others, include Petar Lubarda, who was inspired by his country’s history and landscape; Tripo Kokolja, known for introducing the art of still life and landscape painting to the eastern Adriatic; and the highly imaginative contemporary painter Boris Dragojević.

Would you like to see Montenegro’s rugged and charming landscape in person? We asked Ambassador Mihaljević to share his advice for travelers to his country.

The best advice would be to see the Montenegro. When he’s in the visit of Montenegro, he can go from the south to the north, from the east to the west. It is not a long journey, and he would enjoy various lakes, landscapes, various paysages and so on

One of the biggest natural resources is our sea, which is also the potential for tourism . But we have also energy potentials, then the agricultural potential.

I heard that the people of Montenegro are very friendly.

The people yes, that’s true. They are very friendly, and everyone in Montenegro would not spare the efforts to make your stay there as most beautiful as possible, to feel like you're at home, because it is in the nature of Montenegro to be open, and to be friendly to the foreigners.

That's nice. Feels just like going there for a holiday.

Yes.

Montenegro is known for her hospitality, but also for her agriculture, with abundant crops of potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, and grapes. Next, Mihaljević briefly described the popular music of Montenegro.

I think it is the mixture. From various corners, which came sometimes together and make something what is today the Montenegro’s heritage.

What kind of instruments would be typical for Montenegro?

Oh, there is one traditional instrument. It is called gusle.

(Gusle!) Yes. It is solo instrument.

The one-stringed gusle is a symbol of Montenegrin culture. Traditionally, it is played by a storyteller, who either recites or sings stories in verses about heroes. Montenegrins also have a distinct traditional folk dance called Oro. In the Oro, a group of dancers form a circle, while another group of dancers stand on top of the first group’s shoulders. One or two people dance in the center.

The unity and togetherness spirit of Montenegran people can be seen not only in the group dances, but also in sports. Montenegrans especially enjoy team sports.

Montenegro is a sports-loving and sport-oriented nation. The most popular sports are football, then basketball, handball, volleyball. And I may also add that some of the best known football, or soccer, players in Europe of today are from Montenegro.

Stevan Jovetić, a player for the Italian professional football club, Serie A club Fiorentina, and Mirko Vucinić, with Italy’s Serie A club Roma, both have distinguished themselves as gifted athletes. Predrag "Peđa" Mijatović is another acclaimed athlete and former sports director of Spain’s professional football club, Real Madrid.

But the most successful was our water polo representation, they won the European Championship in 2008. (Oh, really!) Rafting is very popular . We have River Tara. River Tara is the highest and the deepest canyon of Europe, and it is normal that the rafting is one very popular sport in Montenegro.

Could you maybe tell us a little about your view of the future for Montenegro? What you would like your country to be?

Our goal, first goal is to build a modern democratic society with a market economy. Tourism, agriculture, energy, wood processing, are the branches which are doing well today in Montenegro. That is the basis and potential for our future development. The most important task in this phase of our development is to join the regional and inter-regional associations, namely, the European Union Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. We are well advanced on that path.

Well on her way toward her economic and political goals, Montenegro has also been striving to set and achieve standards of environmental sustainability.

Montenegro was proclaimed as ecological country in the ‘90s, and it is written in the Montenegro’s Constitution. So we are to preserve our beauty and to preserve our nation, and we must do those, because it is the obligation. There should be much efforts to be done. But it is one long standing goal and that goal is to be fulfilled.

We conclude today’s program with an opening verse from Petar II Petrović-Njegoš’s “The Mountain Wreath,” which echoes the courageous spirit of the Montenegrin people: “It is not hard for a lion to come forth from a spacious bush. The nest of genius is built only among greater nations. There, above all, he finds the stuff needed for his deeds of glory and a proud garland of triumph to adorn the hero's bold head.”

With appreciation to His Excellency Milomir Mihaljević, the Ambassador of Montenegro to the United Nations, we wish Montenegro, an admirable country of humanity and gallantry, to prosper evermore in peace and happiness.

Thank you, warmhearted viewers, for your company on today’s program. Coming up next is Words of Wisdom, right after Noteworthy News, here on Supreme Master Television. May each day of your life be serene and happy.