Development of a national strategy on cooperation with the diaspora is one of the strategic goals of the minister without portfolio Đorđe Milićević, who is in charge of coordinating activities and measures in the field of relations between the Republic of Serbia and the diaspora.

‘Already some months ago, the Minister started a series of working meetings, online and in person, with representatives of the Serbian diaspora (Serbian Orthodox church municipalities and their priests, Serbian federations and associations, Serbian supplementary schools and other organizations), aimed at developing a future strategy for motherland-diaspora relations and adopting the new law on Serbs in the diaspora and the region’, said the president of the Association of Serbs in Italy, Lidija Radovanović.

According to her, it was exactly in line with the identified needs, that one of such important meetings was held on 12 November 2023 in Trieste, in the premises of the Serbian Orthodox Church Municipality, within cooperation with the Association of Serbs in Italy.

‘The delegation from Serbia attended the liturgy in St Spyridon temple, served by Father Raško Radović, accompanied by the church choir founded in 1837 and under the baton of the Russian Anna Kaira. After the liturgy, with the president and head of the Serbian Orthodox Church Municipality Trieste, the delegation visited the premises of this most important Serbian historical institution in Italy, which includes the Jovan Miletić Serbian supplementary school, and a rich library and archive’, added the president of the Association of Serbs in Italy.

A working meeting with about forty representatives of Serbian diaspora associations was held in the Risto Škuljević church hall. The topics discussed were diaspora’s confidence and motherland’s ability to influence their position, availability of the Republic state authorities for the needs of the diaspora, diaspora’s integration in the local communities of the country where they live, use of modern means of communication to inform while preserving cultural identity, the position and role of diaspora organizations, their inclusiveness and attractiveness for younger generations and the new diaspora.

‘The delegation confirmed for the diaspora that Serbian associations and institutions in Italy and around the world would have absolute support in all their activities aimed at preserving the national identity, Serbian language and alphabet, culture and tradition. The line Ministry’s working group is expected to finalize the text of the new memorandum of cooperation on strengthening the ties with diaspora members by the end of 2023,’ added Lidija Radovanović, President of the Association of Serbs in Italy.

Source and photo: Rasejanje.info