At the invitation of the organizers, His Beatitude, the Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro, H.B. Mihailo, together with a delegation of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, attended the opening of the international scientific conference entitled “The Effects of Identity Politics on Small Communities and States in Southeast Europe.” The conference was held on March 27, 2026, at the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature in Cetinje.

The conference, which brought together distinguished scholars from the country and abroad, was organized in anticipation of a major jubilee—the twentieth anniversary of the restoration of Montenegro’s independence. Among the participants were prominent intellectuals such as Dr. Srđa Pavlović, Dr. Siniša Malešević, Dr. František Šístek, and many others, who analyzed the complex processes of identity preservation in the contemporary era.

During the presentations and discussions at this important gathering, it was once again scientifically and historically affirmed that the spiritual and state identity of Montenegro are inseparably connected. Throughout the centuries, it has been undeniably demonstrated that the Montenegrin Orthodox Church has been and remains a fundamental pillar of Montenegrin statehood and survival. It is a historical fact that without an autocephalous Montenegrin Church, there can be neither full freedom nor a genuine Montenegrin state, as it was precisely the Church that preserved the national being and state sovereignty throughout history.

As part of the program, the second edition of the seminal work by Špiro Kulišić, “On the Ethnogenesis of Montenegrins” (DANU, 2026), was also promoted, further shedding scientific light on the historical right of Montenegrins to their own culture, language, and spiritual independence.

The presence of Metropolitan Mihailo at this gathering symbolizes the inseparable unity of science, culture, and spirituality in the shared mission of preserving Montenegrin identity and a state founded on truth and historical justice.

Cetinje, March 27, 2026
Information Service of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church