On the occasion of the signing of the contract on the allocation of funds for organising this year’s themed summer camp for children and young people from the diaspora and the region, Smederevo was visited by Đorđe Milićević, Minister without Portfolio responsible for coordinating activities and measures in the area of relations between the Republic of Serbia and the diaspora.
This year, the City of Smederevo has been recognised as one of the Government of Serbia’s key partners in its mission to strengthen ties between the homeland and our people around the world, and the hosts chose to organise an environmental education camp.
The contract was formally signed at the premises of the City Administration by Minister Đorđe Milićević and the Mayor of Smederevo, Jasmina Vojinović.
Minister Milićević stressed that the criteria for awarding the funds were strict and that competition among the submitted projects was strong.
“Smederevo had one of the highest-quality projects and has the capacity to offer young people from abroad first-class educational and recreational content.
Our aim is to introduce the children to the interior of Serbia, so that they come to love it even more, learn about the history and culture of our country, learn the Serbian language and the Cyrillic alphabet, take home the most beautiful memories from the homeland, strengthen their national identity and also develop awareness of environmental protection,” said Minister Milićević.
He added that through these projects Serbia is investing in the future and in the generations to come, and expressed the hope that after completing their education abroad, young people will return to their homeland to apply their knowledge and experience here.
Mayor Jasmina Vojinović thanked the ministry for its support and the trust it has shown, stressing the importance of this initiative.
“It is a great honour for the City of Smederevo to host young people from the region and from around the world.
We place great emphasis on our ties with all our compatriots in the diaspora, and we always look forward to their visits.
I am particularly pleased that the quality of our project has been recognised.
Smederevo is a capital of rich history, sport and culture, but the environment programme is also very important to us, which is why we have recently been working more and more on systematically resolving significant environmental issues.
The camp will be an opportunity to show children from the diaspora the beauty of the Danube, our fortress and Smederevo, to teach them important lessons about ecology through interactive workshops and to spend time with them.
These events are clear proof of the commitment of the country’s leadership and of President Aleksandar Vučić to preserving ties with our citizens abroad. Particular focus has been placed on children and young people, so that they remain inseparably connected to their homeland.
Our greatest wish is for these young people to return to their native land one day, and Smederevo will open its doors wide to them,” the Mayor said.
The summer camp for young people from the diaspora will be held in Smederevo from 23 to 26 June this year. It will be an opportunity for Smederevo to be a good host and for the guests to feel that they belong to their people.
