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In August 2024, the Special Nature Reserve “Jerma” hosted the first edition of the Jerma Art Festival, an event that brought together artists and visitors from different parts of the world. Guests arrived from various countries, including Russia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, and Greece, as well as many visitors from Serbia. This nonprofit and self-sustaining festival, held from August 2 to 4 in the idyllic village of Vlasi, successfully blended opera, traditional , Greek, ethno, and electronic music, and featured award-winning documentary films—creating a unique atmosphere in this natural paradise.

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For lovers of adventure tourism, the camping area by the Jerma River offered a unique opportunity to connect even more deeply with nature. The Jerma Art Festival not only promoted the natural beauty of this region but also served as a platform for developing environmentally responsible tourism. Besides focusing on promoting the natural wonders of the Special Reserve, the festival also aimed to support the preservation of the small local community. During the summer months, when the Jerma River canyon becomes a popular tourist destination, we recognized the need for festival-style content that would attract young people and encourage them to stay or return to this area of untouched nature. The Jerma Art Festival marks just the first step in creating a sustainable festival scene in this part of Serbia.

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The vision is for the festival to grow and evolve, becoming increasingly important in the region’s tourist offerings, while also acting as a driver of cultural and social development. Through organizing such events, the goal is to create long-term benefits for the local community and to protect the natural heritage, building bridges between art, tourism, and ecology. We invite all lovers of nature, art, and ecology to join us in future editions of the festival and to contribute together to preserving this extraordinary space.