Cooperation of the University of Banja Luka and the Eparchy of Pakrac and Slavonia

On 27 March 2023, Rector of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, and His Eminence Bishop Jovan of Pakrac and Slavonia signed an Agreement on Cooperation in Pakrac, which will contribute to the improvement of cooperation in the field of publishing, development and exchange of publications, and the preservation of national cultural heritage.

Rector Gajanin expressed his satisfaction with the signing of this agreement, as it enables the use of library materials in the Library of the Eparchy of Pakrac and Slavonia, which will result in new research papers.

Gajanin thanked His Eminence Bishop Jovan of Pakrac and Slavonia for his understanding and for allowing the academic community of the University to have the opportunity to use the rich library material that is part of the Eparchy.

,,I am certain that students, professors and teaching assistants will have the opportunity to use the books and other library materials, which are not available elsewhere, in their research", Gajanin said, adding that thanks to the use of historical materials found in this library, the final papers of all study cycles in the history, culture and tradition of the Serbian people will be far better.

Minister for Scientific and Research Development, Higher Education and Information Society of the Republic of Srpska Željko Budimir said today that the agreement between the University and the Eparchy of Pakrac and Slavonia will help make the research treasures in this library available to the people.

,,This cooperation should help the research of our history, spiritual and cultural treasures, a significant materialized part of which is in the Library of the Eparchy. We are opening a new page of history", Budimir said.

Bishop Jovan expressed his satisfaction with the signing of this agreement with the University, of which he was a student, and stated that this cooperation officially began with a round table dedicated to the Gorica Collection, held later in the day.

,,The round table refers to the phototype edition of one of the most significant manuscripts of Serbian cultural and manuscript heritage, namely the correspondence of Jelena Balšić, daughter of Emperor Lazar, with the monk Nikon, who was her spiritual father.", Bishop Jovan said.

His Eminence Bishop Jovan of Pakrac and Slavonia pointed out that the Library of the Eparchy in Pakrac is the second in the world as for the number of South Slavic printed books, and expressed his belief that cooperation with the University will contribute to the exchange of experiences and the development of scientific research.

Bishop Jovan pointed to the fact that the name Episcopal Library in Pakrac comes from the 19th century, and that it is the most important Serbian library west of the Danube and Drina, but also the third library of the Serbian Orthodox Church after Hilandar and the Patriarchate in Belgrade.

"Our library preserves the only existing copy of ``Služevnik'', printed in Goražde in 1519, and that fact alone speaks of its importance for today's Republic of Srpska. It is a priceless treasure, which was looted in 1941, first by the NDH, and then by the post-war communist authorities, thereafter experiencing a tragedy in the last civil war, and finally it was returned to Pakrac where it belongs", said bishop Jovan, and stated that the Republic of Srpska and Serbia are helping a lot in the renovation of the Library and the Bishop's Palace in Pakrac.

The signing was also attended by Vice-Rector for International and Interuniversity Cooperation Prof. Milica Balaban, PhD, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia Prof. Aleksandar Vranješ, PhD, Ambassador of Serbia to Croatia Jelena Milić, Dean of the Faculty of Philology of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Biljana Babić, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy Prof. Srđan Dušanić, PhD, as well as Prof. Slavica Ilić Vasiljević, PhD, and Prof. Borivoje Milošević, PhD.

All of them also took part in the Round Table dedicated to Gorica Collection. In addition to Bishop Jovan, the following were presenters at this round table: Prof. Jelena Erdeljan, PhD, Prof. Svetlana Tomin, PhD, Prof. Jelica Stojanović, PhD, Vladimir Balj, MA, Asst. Prof. Dušan Krcunović, PhD, and Asst. Prof. Oleg Soldat, PhD.