The state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nemanja Starović, and director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region, Arnaud Gouillon, participated in the World Conference of Overseas Cypriots held on 27 July 2022 in Limassol.

State Secretary Starović reminded that closeness of the Serbian and Cypriot people was particularly founded on witnessing the violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of their countries, followed by the deep sadness of the Serbian and Cypriot families who had been left without their homes.

Starović invited the Serbian and Cypriot diaspora to build mutual closeness and trust in their countries of residence, like those that Serbia and Cyprus have nurtured for decades.

During the Conference, the Serbian delegation had a bilateral meeting with the Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Issues and Overseas Cypriots, Fotis Fotiou.

The meeting confirmed the mutually strong friendship of the two countries, and addressed in particular the cooperation in the field of diaspora. Also, further steps were agreed on implementing the Memorandum on cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Cyprus in the field of the diaspora, and discussions covered the exchange of experiences in the ways of organizing the diaspora, their mutual connection, as well as the preservation of cultural, linguistic and historical values.

After the meeting in Limassol, the Director of the Directorate Gouillon said that the Cypriot diaspora was known throughout the world as well organized and that their experiences in terms of economic, cultural and educational cooperation would be invaluable for Serbia.

‘Given the exceptional bilateral relations and the traditional friendship between Serbia and Cyprus, we also discussed how to connect our diasporas in the world, for the common good’, Gouillon added.

The delegation of the Republic of Serbia attended the event at the invitation of the Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Issues and Overseas Cypriots, Fotis Fotiou. In addition to the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delegation of the Republic of Serbia at the World Conference of Overseas Cypriots included also the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in Nicosia, Marko Blagojević, and the first counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia, Jelena Stojiljković.

Source and photo: Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region