During the Eighteenth meeting of the Gender Equality Committee, the control hearing of the Professor Ms Božena Jelušić and the Art Historian Ms Ljiljana Zeković on the topic “Female Characters in Njegoš's Work“ was held. The consultative hearing was organised on the occasion of celebrating 200 years since the birth of Petar II Petrović Njegoš.

Professor Ms Božena Jelušić spoke on subversion of female characters in “Mountain Wreath” , i.e. she described female actors of the book as “triggers” of events, referring also to subversive critics of norms of Montenegrin patriarchal society. She emphasised that the perception of women in Njegoš’s work was actually an example of man’s desire to hold a power and his intention to preserve it.

The Art Historian Ms Ljiljana Zeković underlined that female characters portrayed in Njegoš’s work had found their place in the art of XX and XXI century, namely in classic media such as picture, drawing and sculpture, primarily in the work of  artist who were spiritually inspired by Njegoš and who were influenced by Njegoš in creating their ethnic and ethical identity. Wherever they used to live, they carried with themselves idioms of heroic and epic tradition of Montenegrin homeland, identifying those with Njegoš and his work.

In addition to Committee members, the meeting was also attended by: MP Vasilije Lalošević, Ms Lia Magnaguagno, Head of the Sector for Democratisation in the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, coordinators for gender equality issues in the OSCE Mission and UNDP to Montenegro, representative of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Executive Director of the Center for Monitoring and Research, Director of the Centre for Civic Education, professors of the Gymnasium “Slobodan Škerović” in Podgorica, coordinators for gender equality in ministries, representative of the Center for Vocational Education and employees of the Parliament of Montenegro.