Students of Prosvjeta schools throughout Austria are increasingly hard-working and active, and the schools’ teaching team, in addition to regular classes, uses the nice weather to hold classes in nature, but also to participate in the social life of the local communities where the schools operate. The manager and founder of the schools, Prof. Srđan Mijalković, endeavors to visit the schools as often as possible and to attend both classes and extracurricular activities.

The invitation to celebrate the church Slava, the Transfer of Relics of Saint Sava, in Enns, on 18 May, was an opportunity to visit the schools and the nearby Steyr. The head of the church, Father Ljubomir Bolić, was an excellent host, and the celebration was also attended by the Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in Salzburg, Vera Vukićević, the representative of the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Vienna, Nemanja Joksimović, the Head of the Republic of Srpska Representative Office in the Republic of Austria, Mladen Filipović, the clergy and many guests. In his address, Prof. Mijalković congratulated the hosts and thanked in particular the teachers and all those supporting Prosvjeta schools, and said that the most important thing now was to ensure that as many children of Serbian origin in Austria as possible continued to learn their language and about their culture, tradition and identity. He recalled that he and the Prosvjeta schools team had been devoted to that mission since 2012 and that they would fight for the development of Serbian schools, education and a better status of the Serbian language as long as necessary.

On Sunday, 25 May, under the Vienna Danube Tower, the traditional Prosvjetijada was held – a mini-Olympiad for the youngest students attending preparatory classes of Prosvjeta schools Vienna – the little speaking rooms. This year, Prosvjetijada was held for the fifth time. The goal of the games was not winning, but socializing, cooperation and mutual support in the sports and creative part of the event. Mijalković handed out medals and special gifts to all participants.

‘In addition to what seniors learn in our schools – the correct Serbian language, the Cyrillic alphabet, everything they need to know about their country and people, such projects are very important because even the youngest have the opportunity to play with their friends in their own language, to be active and creative in their own language, and all this in nature, with their families. Those are not implied here and have not come by themselves, but are what we have achieved through our work, effort and commitment, in cooperation with you – parents and others who understand our vision and mission! For our children growing up in the diaspora, nothing is more important than learning their language and everything that makes up their identity, and when it is happening in such a beautiful way, the pleasure is complete,’ said Mijalković.

Source and photo: VESTI online