ETNO TURISM AND THE PROMOTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
12.04.2014

Under the auspices of Municipality of Palilula, equestrian club "Nonius" in the Gornje Medjurovo, organized the tourist-cultural event "Lazarići" for the sixth consecutive year.Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday holiday are marking the week before Easter. The custom is to this day the young are giving each other flowers, so the participants' of Lazarice "from early morning were going to households in Medjurovo and one group of children was gathering flowers and garlands rules. During this time, participants competed in preparing fish soup, fans of equestrian sports and nature, were gathered.

Lazarus Saturday is also tied with the Serbian Prince Lazar who was martyred in Kosovo in 1389. Vrbica holiday falls on Lazarus Saturday, the sixth in the Great or the Easter fasting. It is a festive day that people do not work tends jobs. On this day children are going with the teacher and priest to gather willow twigs, which were brought to the church where, the next day, on Palm Sunday, consecrated and attendees who wore them home and kept as a sacred trust for the icon. Vrbica day is children's joy. Children sing songs and rejoice at the sound of bells on the ribbons that are worn on the neck. In some parts of Serbia willow sticks knits wreath, which is put on icons.

Boban Džunić , president of Municipality of Palilula, stressed the importance of this event for the promotion and development of tourism and nurturing our cultural and traditional values. "One of the strategic objectives of the municipality of Palilula, is the development of tourism and hospitality. Benefits for tourism development, in addition to traffic position, are numerous natural and cultural heritage as well as cultural events like this in the Gornje Medjurovo, which is due to family Ilieski and equestrian club "Nonius" has become recognized throughout the region. It is very hard to do given the economic conditions that Palilula municipality provides development time within the framework of the Strategy for Development of the City of Nis and the region, to offer strategic priorities that can realistically be achieved in the next period of our development. '