REMEMBERING DEJAN MEDAKOVIĆ, ART HISTORIAN AND FORMER SANU PRESIDENT

BIJELJINA, JUNE 30 /SRNA/ – Academic Dejan Medaković /1922–2008/, an art historian and former president of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts /SANU/, died on July 1, 2008.

A leading scholar of Serbian art and cultural heritage, Medaković was known for his broad historical syntheses and often said: "The Serbian people must come together and gain a clear understanding of themselves." He received numerous honors, including the July Seventh Award for lifetime achievement, Austria's Gindely Award, the Herder Prize and the National Library Award for the most widely read book in Serbia. Throughout his long and prolific career, Medaković emphasized the importance of dedication to one's people and culture while promoting Serbian cultural heritage internationally. His work earned him prestigious recognition in Austria, Germany and Hungary, where he helped highlight the richness of Serbian culture despite often challenging historical and political circumstances. Since 1997, the publishing house Prometej has published or republished 38 of Medaković's books. The town of Sremski Karlovci established the Dejan Medaković Award, presented to authors for their contribution to preserving the culture of remembrance.