Upon the initiative of the Teachers’ Society of the Republic of Srpska, with the consent of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the Institute for the Protection of Cultural and Historical Heritage and Natural Heritage at the entrance of the Faculty of Mathematics and Science of the University of Banja Luka, on March 26, 2024, a memorial plaque was unveiled in honor of our distinguished Serbian writer Branko Ćopić, marking the 40th anniversary of his death.

It is important to note that there was already an initiative to place a memorial plaque to our great writer at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and that the first steps in this matter were taken by Prof. Dr. Biljana Babić, the Dean of the Faculty of Philology, University of Banja Luka, as early as 2016.

The unveiling of the memorial plaque on March 26 was preceded by a cultural and artistic program, held at the amphitheater of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, in which students from elementary schools in Banja Luka participated: “Đura Jakšić”, “Petar Petrović Njegoš”, “Jovan Cvijić”, “Georgi Stojkov Rakovski”, “Jovan Dučić”, “Borisav Stanković”, and “Dositej Obradović”. Prof. Dr. Mira Mandić spoke about who Branko Ćopić was, what he loved, his childhood memories, his hometown of Grmeč, education, upbringing, political pressure, his tragic end, and his impatience to find his peace.

Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Prof. Dr. Radoslav Đekić, and President of the Teachers’ Society of the Republic of Srpska, Marina Knežević, ceremonially unveiled the memorial plaque in honor of our Branko.

Text author: Dr. Aleksandra Petrašević, Full Professor