National recognitions for personalities from the region and the diaspora

The awards were presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selaković, and the Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region, Arnaud Gouillon.он.

"The awards we present today bear the names of people who at one point in their lives were the Serbian diaspora. They created and worked outside of Serbia, but their work was built into the foundations of our state and national identity", said Selaković.

He pointed out that our priority must be the preservation of the Serbian language, the Cyrillic alphabet, culture, customs and other distinct identity features wherever our people live.

Selaković underlined that these recognitions belong to those who have largely subordinated their lives to the Serbian language being spoken and the Serbian name being heard, especially where they would have disappeared almost certainly in the sea of ​​foreign languages, as he says, ​​if it had not been for such efforts.

As he said, the precondition for our people to have a future is to have us.

"It does not only mean that more of us should be born, which is of great importance, but also that those who were born as Serbs stay that way. Therefore, nurturing the Serbian language and the Cyrillic alphabet must not be something that is unnecessary, just some intellectual hobby of our people in the diaspora", said Selaković.

He pointed out that it is a question of the survival of our nation, which, he added, is much more important than an intellectual hobby.

"There are many extraordinarily successful members of the Serbian people around the world and it is natural that those who have reached the pinnacle of their professions become citizens of the world, but as a rule, the greatest never forget who they are and where they came from, because they are aware that they also drew some of their success from their collective identity", Selaković said.

The "Nikola Tesla" award for merits in the field of science that promotes the inventive achievements of Serbian scientists was given to scientist Vladimir Cmiljanović, who in Basel leads a team of experts working on the discovery of a cure for cancer and a second-generation vaccine against Covid-19.

The President of Matica Srpska in Montenegro and Professor of the Faculty of Philosophy in Niksic, Jelica Stojanović, was awarded the "Vuk Karadžić" award for results in the field of nurturing the Serbian language and the Cyrillic alphabet among Serbs in the region and the diaspora.

The "Slobodan Jovanović" award, which is given for a contribution in the field of politics that strengthens the reputation and position of Serbia and the Serbian people in the region and the world, was given to the President of the Serbian National Council of Montenegro, Momčilo Vuksanović.

Serbian language and literature Professor Srđan Mijalković from Austria was awarded the "Dositej Obradović" award for his contribution in the field of education and preservation of the cultural, ethnic, historical and religious identity of Serbs in the diaspora and the region.

The main award, "Mother Serbia", for his life's work and selfless commitment to strengthening the Serbian people in the diaspora, was given to Đorđe Mihailović – the keeper of the Zeitenlik Serbian military cemetery in Thessaloniki, to whom Minister Selaković will present this recognition tomorrow in Thessaloniki.

"We who do not live in Serbia always feel as if we have left our mother, our family, but we know that our mother is always there because Serbia is our mother and it will always be so", said Srđan Mijalković, who addressed on behalf of the winner.

He pointed out that Serbs, wherever they live, are part of a unique, indivisible, solid Serbian cultural and spiritual space.

"It is a space beyond current borders, social changes and policies that makes us what we are and we must protect and nurture it together, seriously and responsibly, because if it is stronger, this space will be more beautiful, easier for us, but also for our children, who grow up in it", Mijalković said.

The director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the region, Arnaud Gouillon, said that each award gives a "wind in the back" and infuses additional motivation and hope.

"It is a proof that your work, your effort is noticed, appreciated, respected. That is why the awards are important", Gouillon said.

He pointed out that today, persistence and dedication of people who work every day throughout the year are rewarded.

"You are, each in your own way recognized in the world, and you are one of our kind, and that makes each of us proud. The younger generations need role models who are successful, combative and dedicate their lives to achieving a higher goal, without expecting anything in return", said Gouillon and underlined that such people should be recognized and rewarded.

The awarding of national recognitions for the contribution to strengthening the ties between the motherland and Serbs in the region and the diaspora and preserving the characteristics, language, culture and traditions of our people in the diaspora and the environment, was introduced by the Law on Diaspora and Serbs in the Region, and this year, they were awarded for the first time in 10 years.

Source: Tanjug