GREETINGS

It is my greatest pleasure to greet the participants, guests and organizers of the world’s largest accordion event, the 76th Accordion World Cup.

Holding a prestigious world-class event in the Republic of Srpska is extremely important to us, because it is the first time in the history of this competition that it is being held in our country, and I am sincerely convinced that this will write new chapters of musical creativity and art in golden letters.

The trust given to us by the World Confederation of Accordionists is certainly the best confirmation that Republika Srpska enjoys respect and is recognized as a country that can successfully respond to an extremely demanding organization and host the largest musical event of this kind in the world.

The numerous recognitions and awards of our participants at international competitions, as well as the membership of domestic organizations, associations and individuals in international associations, undoubtedly contributed to this.

Also, it should be noted that the accordion has always been present and deeply woven into the tradition and culture of the Serbian people, so that today it is a subject of study and enjoys the deserved attention of the academic community, which has all brought us to the company of the world’s best accordion virtuosos.

I especially want to emphasize that holding the Accordion World Cup Final is more than a competition at this moment.

Republika Srpska and the city of Bijeljina are becoming the capital of culture, a place from where universal messages of peace and friendship are sent through music and musical art, messages that unite us again and again around timeless and true values in the difficult and challenging times in which we live.

I believe that the participants of this manifestation will bring back good memories from Republika Srpska, not only of this event, but also of the people and culture of our nation and that they will be happy to return on the same or similar occasion. In that name, I once again warmly greet you and wish you much success, both here in the competitive part and in further work and improvement.

THE PRESIDENT
Milorad Dodik

On behalf of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) Executive Committee and the CIA Member Nations worldwide. As the CIA President it is with great pleasure and honor that I have this privilege, to welcome you to the 76th Coupe Mondiale International Competition for Accordionists and Ensembles hosted by our CIA member the Association of Artists here in Bijeljina. It is the first time that the Coupe Mondiale is hosted in Bosnia-Hezegovina. This is one reason that makes all of us very happy and excited.

We are very pleased to have a large number of contestants, many delegates and jury members who are participating in this Coupe Mondiale occasion. This proves that the artist community is aware of the importance of live music and that it cannot be replaced by remote performances especially at this high level and good quality.

Music is an Art that is “here and now”, there is nothing more emotional for an artist and likewise for the audience than to experience a live concert in a beautiful hall!

We can all be proud that the CIA and Coupe Mondiale have existed for more than 80 years. It means that the lifetime of work and passion carried out by delegates and officers over the years has been of profound value.

I would like to offer a special welcome and a thank you to each of our 114 contestants, their families, and teachers, for supporting this 76th Coupe Mondiale. We truly appreciate your efforts, and we wish you all the best luck for your performances. Regardless of the results, we must never forget that we are creating music, we are experiencing art, and we must keep in mind, how lucky we are to partake in this event.

In addition, we are honored to welcome all the international accordion dignitaries and guests from around the world who will be participating in the CIA General Assembly Meetings, serving as members of the International Jury, and enjoying the variety of concerts held throughout the festival.

Good luck to all the contestants!

Mirco Patarini

This year, City of Bijeljina is hosting the world’s best accordion players. The decision to organize the Coupe Mondiale (World Accordion Cup) in this region is a natural choice, as musical notes expressed through the accordion resonate most deeply with the souls of the people who live here. We are confident that this music competition will be a new bridge that will connect us with the musical traditions of other nations. These intercultural connections will be established through the accordion keys and bellows, and through the skills of the maestros who will compete for the titles of the best.

As one of the most renowned regional crossroads and meeting places for the exchange of ideas, experiences, economic goods, and cultural patterns, we are incredibly honored to be the accordion center of the world for a few days and to remain engraved in the history of this competition as one of the hosts.

We extend a warm welcome to our guests and hope that they will experience our plains in the best light and feel the most beautiful manifestation of our hospitality.

May the music be the light that erases all boundaries between artists, nations, and states!

Mayor of Bijeljina
Ljubiša Petrović

Dear, good and always welcome, our friends and all the people of our region, we welcome you to Ugljevik with love and joy. That’s how it was the previous 14 years when it was founded, right here, this, I would call it a planetary, accordion, musical, cultural manifestation.

It turned out that we were right when we recognized the values of our creators, who convinced us that Ugljevik could be the birthplace of the Accordion World Cup.

 He has become and will continue to be, with wholehearted support and to the joy of all of us. I am proud and happy for all those who participated, all these years, in this great and significant event. I look forward to every meeting with the most famous accordion players in the world. There is no great artist from this branch of music who did not play for us and was not our dear guest. Thanks to them, our Ugljevik is not small, but big and growing on the musical and cultural map of the world.

Dear friends, the accordion has long been the most favorite musical instrument among us Serbs, no matter where we live. The accordion is part of our tradition, part of ethnology, and occupies an important place in our hearts. I am proud, today, as the long-term host and organizer of such a prestigious International Accordion Festival, which is being held today in Ugljevik and already tomorrow in Bijeljina. Its international character is not only formal but also real.

Today, I will not exaggerate if I say that Republic of Srpska, thanks to Ugljevik is in the true sense, the accordion capital for the entire region. Our creators, music pedagogues from the“ Kornelije Stanković“ Music School, are known all over the world. They are not only the ambassadors of our culture, on all meridians, but also pedagogical and artistic authorities with many awards, recognitions and applause wherever they appear.

Thank you for coming to magnify the Accordion World Cup. Enjoy the excellent musicianship of our harmonica virtuosos!

Vasilije Perić,
Mayor of Municipality Ugljevik

Добро дошли – Welcome!

Dear Delegates, Jury Members, Musicians, Competitors, Accordion Enthusiasts and dear Guests, I wish to warmly welcome you all to Bijeljina for the 76th Coupe Mondiale hosted in 2023 by the ARTIST Association under the auspices of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) – IMC – UNESCO. This prestigious music event will be held for the 76^th time in the world, and for the first time in this country and, what is important for me personally, right here in my home town, Bijeljina, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is with great pride that I announce this respected music competition that will connect Bijeljina with the rest of the world. The importance of this renowned event for our culture and for world cultural history cannot be overstated. Participants and audiences from over 30 countries who attend this competition come from countries such as China, Portugal, Russia, Italy, Ukraine, France, New Zealand, USA, Chile, Kazakhstan and many others. Music that connects people and nations all around the world will show its immense power one more time.

The Coupe Mondiale is a major international competition for best accordion players in the world held under the auspices of the The International Confederation of Accordionists (ICA), known by its name in French Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA), which is founded in 1935 in Paris, France. The International confederation of accordionists (ICA – CIA) is a member of the International Music Council (IMC), an NGO official partner of UNESCO.

Accordion is so integrated into the culture of Serbian people that many consider it as one of our national instruments. Serbian traditional and folklore music, and dances such as Kolo are all played on accordion, and that is why every major event and celebration in our people is traditionally accompanied by one or more accordions. In the academic field, the accordion festival Dani Harmonike, which exists for over 15 years and welcomes competitors and jury from more than 20 countries every year, has made a significant contribution to positioning our local community as a regional center for academic accordion. It is our wish that the 76^th Coupe Mondiale brings even more attention for the accordion at the highest level in our country. True art overcomes all barriers and obstacles of our ideologized and schematized contemporary world and carries a universal message of friendship, unity within differences, and peace. Music and art may unite people and help develop and preserve the core values of contemporary society. We will, therefore, gather in the best company to play and listen to music, make new friendships and pleasant memories, and select the best among the best accordion players in the world for the year 2023.

I wish to thank everyone who helped in organizing the 76^th Coupe Mondiale in Bijeljina, especially the City of Bijeljina and the Municipality of Ugljevik. My special appreciation goes to our high patron, the President of the Republic of Srpska, Mr. Milorad Dodik, who recognized the significance of this event for our Republic.

To all our guest and participants, I wish a pleasant stay and good results at the competition!

Welcome and good luck!

In the name of the organizational committee and the ARTIST Association

Slaviša Perić