NETWORK OF CONSTANTINE’S CITIES

66 archaeological sites and 265 registered cultural assets are located in Niš. Heritage preservation became the practice of managing change as a factor which balances preserving heritage values and ensuring development. The city intensified the works on reconstruction of all historical and cultural monuments trying to integrate the cultural heritage into day-to-day living.

Initiating the campaign of announcing the celebration of 2013, the City organised the conference dedicated to the presentations of the experiences and lessons learned in the field of research, protection, valorisation and promotion of cultural heritage in so called Constantine's cities: Trier (Germany), Arles (France), Milano (Italy), Izmit - Istanbul (Turkey), Carnuntum - Vienna (Austria), York (Great Britain) and Niš (Serbia).

Constantine the Great was well known not only as an emperor and wise military leader, but also a great visionary and defender of Christianity. His visions and dreams in which Labarum or Monogram of Christ appeared followed by the words - With This Sign You Shall Win - In Hoc Signo Vinces - led him to many victories. In 313, Roman Emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius announced that it was proper that the Christians and all others should have liberty to follow that mode of religion which to each of them appeared best, thereby granting tolerance to all religions, including Christianity. The Edict of Milan made the Empire officially neutral with regard to religious worship; it neither made paganism illegal nor made Christianity the state religion.

The heritage valorization conference was a part of the project - Developing Programme Base and Promotion of Nis City Office for International Cooperation in Science, Education and Culture. It was preceded by three-month long consultations with important figures of the cultural policy in the City of Nis.

During the first day of the conference the exchange of the opinions and suggestions coming from the partners outside the city - RS Ministry of Culture, RS Ministry of Exterior, attaches for culture at foreign embassies present in our country, representatives of foreign cultural centers, of the donor community and national and international experts in the area of cultural policy could be heard.

Second day was dedicated to initiating networking of all Constantine's cities with the objective to join efforts in the organisation of this big jubilee. It also represented the continuation of the cooperation initiated at the Archaeological Park Carnuntum Symposium. 1700 years ago, in November, 308 A.D. the so-called "Conference at Carnuntum" took place under the leadership of the former emperor Diocletian. Then the decision was made to establish the new Tetrarchy - Rule of Four and the power over the Roman Empire was redistributed. Consequently, and within a short period of time, through the "Emperors of Carnuntum" and through the change of course 1700 years ago, an incomprehensible change took place which altered and engraved our world and our western Culture.