Foundation “For the Serbian People and State” has donated funds for the restoration of the mural “Prayer for Peace” by academic painter Vitomir Mitrović to the Primary School “Knez Lazar” in Veliki Kupci near Kruševac. The importance of this mural dating back to 1970 is reflected in its strong message – the call for peace and reminding of the suffering of the Serbian people. That is why the celebration at which it was displayed was held symbolically several days after honouring the Armistice Day in the First World War. The mural with the area of 27 m2 shows six women who represent six former Yugoslav republics, with their hands towards the sky, praying for peace. Integral part of the mural are the birds as a symbol of the idea of the curse of war and celebration of peace, while one fallen bird represents all war victims, explained Jelena Stojković, Conservator-restorer of the National Museum Iin Kruševac.
The restored mural was displayed in the ceremony by Ivan Manojlović, Mayor of Kruševac, and Slađan Jevtić, Principal of the primary school.
Ivan Manojlović, Mayor of Kruševac expressed gratitude to the Foundation which with this gesture provided help not only to the primary school, but also to the City of Kruševac, and pointed to the importance of preserving Serbian cultural heritage. Mayor also appealed to the schoolchildren as well as to the future generations to take care of the mural, having in mind the strong symbolism it bears.
“The damage on the mural was made in the hard times of the Serbian people’s suffering. Today, the scars on the mural have been corrected and it calls us to stop and pray for peace in silence, because, apart from love and freedom, peace is what we need most. We owe huge gratitude to Foundation “For the Serbian People and State” which has made it possible for our “Prayer for Peace” to shine in its full glory”, Jevtić emphasized.
Because of grave damage on the mural made in the period of more than half a century, the mural restoration lasted over three months and was performed in cooperation with the National Museum in Kruševac and the Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments.
