Ambassador Dražen Margeta has opened the exhibition of Croatian artist Fadila šaciragic at the Cultural Center Al Sawy in Cairo. The artist displayed thirty canvases wherein she elaborates in a calligraphic manner the name of the God that is superimposed over mystical images of the skies.
Ambassador Dražen Margeta has opened the exhibition of Croatian artist Fadila šaciragic at the Cultural Center Al Sawy in Cairo. The artist displayed thirty canvases wherein she elaborates in a calligraphic manner the name of the God that is superimposed over mystical images of the skies.
This is what Ambassador Margeta said at the occasion:
Ladies and gentleman,
It is my privilege to welcome you to this exhibition that is not only an art event but also a good example of my strong belief that our cultural differences are here not to separate us but to connect us and enrich our experience of the world we are sharing.
Ms. Fadila Saciragic is Croatian artist. She is, at the same time, a Muslim and a European, and therefore her paintings are good opportunity for an introduction to understand that in Islamic sensitivity and universe there are no boundaries between secular and religious, which is the case in western societies. This is a distinction one has to realize to be able to appreciate complexity of Islam and Islamic art forms. Fortunately, there have always been people in history that showed us the path of mutual understanding and mutual respect built on this understanding.
We had many examples of such interaction in the country I am honored to represent here in Egypt, which is the country Ms. Fadila Saciragic comes from - Croatia. I should like to remind you that Croatia was the second European country that proclaimed Islam as one of its official religions. That happened in distant 1918. and not without reason. There has always been a Muslim community in Croatia, small in numbers but striving and visible in their identity that was, as we can see, protected by the state law. The fact that Islam was proclaimed official religion in Croatia in spite of relatively small number of Muslims, indicates that this act was introduced because there were tradition of communication between Christians and Muslims in Croatia.
I will give you just two examples of early communication between Islam and Egypt on one hand and Croatia on another. The earliest example of connection between Islam and Croatia, or rather Egypt and Croatia was well known historic figure Abou El Hassan Dzevher ibd Abullah Sakalli es-Saklebi, who was born in part of Croatia that is called Dalmatia and who has died here in Cairo in the year 364 after Hijra. Es-Saklebi was no less then the builder of the oldest university in the world – Al Azhar university here in Cairo. In Croatia he is knows under his Christian name of Blaz Vodopic, which was his name before he embraced Islam.
Another person I should like to mention is famous traveler, writer and philosopher Idrisi, who traveled through Croatia in the year 493 after Hijra which corresponds with the year 1089 of the Christian calendar. His written accounts on Croatia are even today taught to the students of History and Ethnology at the Zagreb University in Croatia. So, he was a Muslim who gave one of the earliest records of one Christian culture. This two examples witnesses the benefits of interaction between different cultures, especially in today's world which sometimes seems as if it has to be reminded that God made us all not to fight but to respect each other.
So this exhibition is a contemporary example of positive interaction between Islam and Christianity: a Muslim artist from the predominantly Christian country and culture expresses her religious and cultural identity through her paintings in which she celebrates the God under the title ‘My Way'. By coming from Croatia to Egypt, to present her work on this exhibition, Ms. Fadila Saciragic
continues that long saga of fruitful contacts between Muslims and Christians and Egyptians and Croats.
I invite you all to enjoy her work and find inspiration in it to contemplate the world of harmony and understanding between two great sisterly cultures she combines in her art.
Thank you.
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