The Minister without portfolio Đorđe Milićević, in charge of coordinating activities and measures in the field of relations between the Republic of Serbia and the diaspora, visited Zrenjanin in order to introduce the Mayor Simo Salapura and his associates to the plans and projects of Serbian Government aimed at cooperation between the diaspora and local self-government.

The Minister had a special message for all the children coming from the diaspora to summer camps and said that they were not guests in Serbia, but that this was their country, reads the announcement from the Ministry.

‘All our little ones living outside our country’s borders must know that when they come to Serbia, they are not guests here. They are at their own in Serbia and our doors are always wide open to them. We must be united wherever we live. I also ask them to use their stay in the camps to improve their knowledge of the Serbian language, culture and history, and to be guardians of our traditions and identity in the countries where they live. And after finishing school and university, to return to Serbia and use the knowledge and experience gained in the world in their homeland,’ said the Minister.

Milićević invited the leadership of the city of Zrenjanin to apply with their project to the Ministry’s competition for the organization of summer camps for youth from the diaspora, announced the office of the Minister without portfolio in charge of coordinating activities and measures in the field of relations between the Republic of Serbia and the diaspora.

Last year, Zrenjanin participated in this project and hosted more than a hundred children at a sports camp.

Mayor Salapura thanked the Minister for the invitation and announced their application also this year for sports camp organization, and their preparing special surprises for the participants, in the spirit of the Olympic Games, this being an Olympic year.

‘The plan is to organize camps throughout Serbia during summer this year, to host more than 10,000 of our children from the diaspora. Any local self-government may apply with its camp organization project, and the Government will bear the costs through our Ministry,’ said Milićević.

Source: Radio Television of Serbia – Tanjug

Photo: Duško Vukajlović