Go to Summer Camp in Montenegro for Peace

By Civic Initiative “Save Sinjajevina,” July 4, 2023

The Civic Initiative “Save Sinjajevina” will organize an educational and recreational camp for the third consecutive year under the slogan “All to Sinjajevina.” The camp will commence on July 12th with a traditional gathering at Petrovdan and continue at Margita, where participants will learn about the mountain, life in katuns (traditional summer pastures), activism, and ecology. We are currently making intensive preparations for the upcoming camp, and since the beginning of June, all activities have been focused on that.

Based on our positive previous experiences, this year we are increasing the number of available spots for participants, with a maximum of 50. Additionally, this year’s camp will have a regional and global dimension, so we hope that people from the region and the world will apply. In line with that, I kindly ask you to share the news about the upcoming camp on your social networks.

Registration for the camp is mandatory and can be done by sending an application to the email address sinjajevina.kamp@gmail.com by July 5th, 2023. Upon registration, participants will receive all necessary information and instructions.

All those who decide to join this camp can expect a rich program. This year’s camp will begin on July 12th with a traditional celebration of Petrovdan, starting at 12 o’clock. After the welcoming words, there will be a folklore program and a traditional feast. In the late afternoon, campers will register and set up their camp. Those who may be part of such a community for the first time or are unsure how to pitch a tent will receive training from our instructors. Later on, there will be reports about Sinjajevina, followed by a dance party.

The next day, workshops will be organized to remind participants of tradition and acquaint them better with the benefits of Sinjajevina. Activities will include traditional bread making and baking, learning about the plants of our mountain and herbal tea, making kačamak (traditional dish), and a visit to Savino Lake for those who enjoy hiking. This tour is considered easy. Sinjajevina will also be featured as a film star, as filmmakers will be capturing its beauty.

On the third day, we will have educational sessions on mountain orientation and hiking rules, followed by the practical application of what has been learned and a hike to the summit of Jablanov (2203 meters above sea level). The educational part will also cover topics such as “Montenegro – a realistic ecological story or populist delusion,” “Sinjajevina from your perspective,” “Why we must save Sinjajevina and Komarnica,” and “Ecological movements in Montenegro and the Balkans.” This day of the camp will end with a traditional dance party.

The following day, activities will focus on enjoyment and relaxation, including flower picking, wreath making, wreath gifting, and karaoke in the evening hours.

On the last day of the camp, we will pack up and dismantle the camp before leaving the mountain.

CAMP “EVERYONE TO SINJAJEVINA” SINJAJEVINA 2023

WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2023 – implementer Milan Sekulović and GISS team

• 12:00 p.m. – Traditional celebration of Petrovdan
• 12:00-12:30 p.m. – Greetings
• 12:30-1:00 p.m. – Folklore program
• 1:00-4:00 p.m. – Folk festivities
• 4:00-6:00 p.m. – Participant registration for the camp
• 6:00-7:30 p.m. – Workshop: Camp establishment (participants interact with coordinators and implementers to set up the tent camp)
• 7:30-8:00 p.m. – Screening of a documentary about Sinjajevina
• Party

THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2023 – implementer Jelena Lončar Maraš

8:00 a.m. – Wake up

8:00-10:00 a.m. – Morning coffee, tea, and breakfast

10:00-10:30 a.m. – Workshop – Traditional breadmaking

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Tea party – Introduction to the medicinal herbs of Sinjajevina, tea tasting

12:00-3:00 p.m. – Excursion to Savino Lake

3:00-4:00 p.m. – Workshop – Traditional cuisine – preparing kačamak (traditional dish)

4:00-5:00 p.m. – Lunch

5:00-6:00 p.m. – Break

6:00-7:00 p.m. – Workshop – Sinjajevina as a movie star –

7:00-8:00 p.m. – Break and dinner

8:00-10:00 p.m. – Movie screening

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2022 – implementer Persida Jovanović

7:00 a.m. – Wake up

8:00-9:00 a.m. – Morning coffee, tea, and breakfast

9:00-11:00 a.m. – Mountain orientation and hiking rules

11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Hiking – ascent to Jablanov Peak

3:00-4:00 p.m. – Lunch (bean stew)

4:00-5:00 p.m. – Workshop – Importance of preserving the Komarnica Canyon; Sinjajevina – Komarnica synergy

5:00-5:30 p.m. – Break

5:30-6:30 p.m. – Workshop – Sinjajevina from your perspective

6:30-7:30 p.m. – Ecological movements in Montenegro and the Balkans

7:30-9:00 p.m. – Break and dinner

9:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. – Party with traditional ring game

SATURDAY, JULY 15, 2023 – implementer Milan Sekulović

9:00 a.m. – Wake up

9:00-10:00 a.m. – Morning coffee, tea, and breakfast

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Workshop – Flower gathering

12:00-2:00 p.m. – Workshop – Weaving traditional wreaths

2:00-3:00 p.m. – Giving away the woven wreaths

3:00-4:00 p.m. – Lunch (trout)

4:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. – Free time, dinner, party, and karaoke

SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2023

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Breakfast, packing, and tent disassembly

1:00 p.m. – Camp closing and departure of participants

MENU

July 12 – Traditional feast

July 13 – Breakfast – fried dough with honey, cheese, jam, and sugar

Lunch – kačamak (cornmeal dish)

Dinner – cooked meal

July 14 – Breakfast – soaked bread and donuts

Lunch – bean stew

Dinner – shepherd’s snack

July 15 – Breakfast – cereal, clotted cream, cheese, and bread

Lunch – trout

Dinner – shepherd’s snack

July 16 – Breakfast – cereal, clotted cream, cheese, and bread

CAMP RULES

1. Any form of insults, belittlement, and discrimination is prohibited.
2. Displaying any symbols not serving ecological and peace awareness is prohibited.
3. All participants are expected to contribute to camp life and tasks.
4. Each day, camp guards will be assigned to maintain order and follow the camp leader’s instructions.
5. All participants are encouraged to share photos and videos of the mountain on their social media, tagging our profiles to promote Sinjajevina.

FACILITIES

The camp is located at an altitude of 1,700 meters. Please bring rain gear, warm clothing, a tent, sleeping bag, camping equipment, a water bottle, and utensils. If you don’t have a tent or equipment, contact us, and we can provide accommodation for you. Make sure to bring a blanket or two since nights on the mountain can be cold. Don’t forget spare socks and footwear.

Drinking water, juices, lunch, and dinner will be provided by the community. Please bring additional food for breakfast and snacks (non-perishable and non-cooking food). We will provide breakfast and traditional “shepherd’s snacks,” but it’s advisable to bring something according to your taste.

The camp does not include showers. There is a river, but bathing without soap is recommended. Wet wipes are the best option for personal hygiene.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The camp is a 1-hour drive northwest from the nearest city, Kolašin. The closest train station is Kolašin, and the nearest airport is Podgorica. It takes approximately 6 hours by car from Belgrade, 5.5 hours from Sarajevo, 4 hours from Pristina, 4 hours from Tirana, and 3.5 hours from Dubrovnik. Please arrive in Kolašin before 10 a.m. on July 12, so we can provide transportation to the camp location in Sinjajevina. Sačuvajmo Sinjajevinu organization will arrange transportation for participants from Kolašin until 10 a.m. on July 12. There won’t be transportation available at other times. Departures from Kolašin will be at 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.