Edu Talks

Crafting the Future: The Evolution of Bosnian ZANAT

Emir Salkic

Mikser Festival 2024, Belgrade

Edu Talk: Crafting the Future: The Evolution of Bosnian ZANAT features Orhan Niksic, CEO of Zanat Company (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and oderated by Emir Salkic, Architect at Normal Architecture (Bosnia and Herzegovina). This lecture explores how tradition and innovation coexist in contemporary design. Orhan Niksic illustrates the evolution of Zanat from a family woodcarving craft, founded by his father, to a company collaborating with renowned designers while preserving traditional craftsmanship. He also discusses how these skills are passed down to new generations, ensuring the continuation of this heritage, which is recognized and inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

This Edu Talk, part of the 2024 Mikser Festival in Belgrade, is featured in the Next Gen Design Edu Talks series. Next Gen Design is a three-year initiative promoting green and sustainable design within the European design sector, especially among young designers, supporting the European Green Deal. The program involves collaborations between five key design platforms and festivals: Skopje Design Week (Public Room), Mikser Festival from Belgrade (Mikser), designaustria, What Design Can Do from Amsterdam, and Barcelona Design Week (Barcelona Design Center), with support from the European Commission.