Nikola Tesla: Programme of Celebrations (1976) Page 9

Programme of Celebrations in Yugoslavia

The initiative for the celebration of the 120th anniversary of Nikola Tesla’s birth came from the Lika Museum in Gospic. The Gospic Communal Assembly and socio-political organizations of Gospic and Lika adopted it, and the Croatian Sabor and socio-political organizations of Croatia supported it and proposed that the organization of the celebrations should be taken over by the Yugoslav Academy of Science and Arts. Co-organizers are the Council of Academies of Science and Arts of Yugoslavia and the Community of Yugoslav Universities. At the proposal of the Croatian Sabor the Yugoslav Federal Assembly proclaimed the year 1976 as Nikola Tesla Year and appointed a federal committee thus giving the celebrations an all-Yugoslav character. At the proposal of the Republican Conference of the Socialist Alliance of the Working People of Croatia and the Federal Conference of the Socialist Alliance of Working People of Yugoslavia, President Josip Broz Tito accepted sponsorship of the celebrations.

It is the intention of the organizers of the celebrations to use the jubilee not only to point to the great services rendered to science and engineering by Nikola Tesla, on whose work rests modern technical civilization, but also - by re-evaluating Tesla’s progressive, humane and democratic socio-political role in the creation of the present free community of equal Yugoslav peoples - to leave a permanent record, which will serve as a basis for a systematic and organized popularization of the creative work of the great Yugoslav scientist and which may serve as a source of new creative inspiration to scientists, especially young ones, in their creative and inventive work and in a humane use of science and engineering in human society.

The jubilee is also to express Lika’s cultural and economic aspirations and the region’s part in the economic and cultural development of Yugoslavia.

The programme of the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the birth of Nikola Tesla includes the following:

• reconstruction of Tesla’s birth-place and the memorial area in Smiljan;
• provision of tourist facilities within the memorial area in Smiljan;
• erection of a Tesla Hall in Gospic;
• film on Nikola Tesla’s life;
• meeting of young research scientists;
• publishing activity;
• engagement of schools and faculties on the popularization of the working methods and scientific achievements of Tesla as a research scientist;
• instituting a permanent “Nikola Tesla” Medal;
• proclamation of the year 1976 as Nikola Tesla Year;
• engaging the media;
• issuing special gold and silver coins, plaques and badges with Nikola Tesla’s figure;
• organizing permanent and temporary exhibitions;
• issuing special postal stamps.