The exhibition of photographs titled “The Most Beautiful Waters of Montenegro – Pure Water, Pure Art” was opened at Europe House in Podgorica last night. These photographs were created as part of the photo competition organised by the Water Administration of Montenegro in December of last year.
Out of a 956 submitted works in total, a professional jury selected 40 of them, and cash prizes were awarded for the top three works. Stevan Žugić won first place, Demir Pepić won second, and Marko Ilić won third.
The exhibition was opened by the Director of the Water Administration, Vesna Bajović, who stated that this is not only an opportunity to admire the natural beauty of Montenegro’s waters but also a reminder of their vital importance and the need for their preservation.
“The waters of Montenegro are our heritage, a source of life and inspiration. These photographs, captured by you, talented artists, reflect not only the beauty of nature but also our responsibility towards it. The Water Administration is dedicated to the protection of waters and the promotion of sustainable management. Our goal is to preserve the current state of our waters and work towards improving their quality for future generations,” said Bajović.
Riccardo Serri, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, addressed the attendees as well, emphasising that water holds great potential for the country, but it is also the country’s responsibility.
“Much more needs to be done to raise our ecological awareness and responsibility in a way that the government, companies, civil sector, and citizens join forces to preserve the nature and waters of Montenegro. The European Union has very strict rules and standards regarding water quality and wastewater treatment. Therefore, this is one of the most important and intensive areas of reform for Montenegro,” explained Serri.
The president of the jury responsible for selecting the best photographs—Professor at the Faculty of Drama, graduate film, and television cameraman Relja Eraković—stated that the decision was difficult due to the large number of high-quality works.
“The jury was guided primarily by aesthetic and artistic standards, while also considering the response to the given theme. We particularly appreciated the complexity and depth of the theme’s meaning, which is always relevant and inspiring, especially in the context of Montenegro, a country known for the beauty of its water wealth,” said Eraković.
In addition to Eraković, the jury members included producer and photographer Balša Rakočević, and Tamara Kuč, representative of the Water Administration of Montenegro.
The photo competition by the Water Administration of Montenegro was carried out in collaboration with Europe House and with the support of the EU4ME project – “Support to the Government of Montenegro in Communicating EU Accession and EU Support to Montenegro.” As part of the exhibition dedicated to the competition, along with the selected 40 works, an additional ten photos were shown, which were especially chosen by Europe House. The exhibition will be open until 10 February.