(ANS - Ljubljana) - On Monday, 11 November, the Murkova listina prize for 2013 was awarded to the Veržej craft centre which is part of the local Salesian Institute known as Marianum. This is one of the highest national awards in the field of ethnology.

It owes its name to Matija Murko (1861-1952), a well-known Slovenian literary historian, ethnologist and journalist. The award was granted in recognition of the continued commitment of the Salesian centre to enriching, preserving and publicising the knowledge of ethnology.

The commission of the Slovene Ethnological Society composed of Professor Dr Janez Bogataj, Dr Bojana Rogelj Škafar, Dr Mojca Ravnik and Tanja Hohnec, chose the Veržej craft centre from among the many proposals received. They commended the centre "for the preservation and development of handicrafts in north-eastern Slovenia. In addition to training craft workers, and the marketing and promotion of craftwork, the centre offers workshops for groups of visitors and students."

The Salesian centre has an exhibition space which hosts national craft exhibitions, especially those of craft workers who make use of ancient techniques to produce modern objects. There is an area dedicated to documentation which collects and records information, literature and samples of home crafts as part of the historical heritage. Visitors and tourists to the centre also receive promotional literature on artisans working in the northeast of Slovenia - an area of the country that is less developed industrially.

In partnership with the Artisan Project Academy, funded by European money, the centre is responsible for the development of programmes for national vocational qualification, the practice of crafts in schools and the coordination of courses in arts and crafts for youth groups. To facilitate meetings of young people engaged in craft activities, the Centre has workshops and classrooms with all the necessary infrastructure.

The prize-giving ceremony was held at the Ethnological Museum of the Slovenian capital. Among those who attended the event were the Rector of the Marianum Salesian Institute, the Director of the Craft Centre, Mr. Ivan Kuhar, as well as Salesian Brother Janez Krnc and several other collaborators.

Published 18/11/2013