Djuric: Let’s refresh Serbia’s image in the US; Hil: Serbia is definitely moving toward the West

Serbia's Foreign Minister Marko Djuric stated at the ceremonial opening of the two-day international conference titled "Center for US Studies - The First Twenty Years of Existence" that it is the duty of everyone – academics, public officials, and ministries – to refresh the image of Serbia in the United States.

At the conference, which is sponsored by the US Embassy and organized by the Center for US Studies, Djuric noted that many people have heard of Serbia and know it in the context of events from the last decade of the last century.

"But we need the help of each of you to refresh the image of Serbia in the United States. Many people outside the political class, outside the very narrow circle of Balkan specialists, last heard about Serbia in the 1990s, and not in a favorable light. It is up to us, our generation, and the academics in Serbia to connect with the American academic community and the broader community and try to correct this image. Thus, it cannot be considered just the responsibility of any public official or any individual ministry; it is up to all of us to work on changing it," Djuric said.

US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill also addressed the attendees and emphasized the importance of merging information, knowledge, and wisdom for a better future.

"You know, we live in an era where there is a lot of information but much less knowledge and even less wisdom. So, I think it is the task of universities, and perhaps the task of all of us, students and professors, to try to merge information, knowledge, and wisdom and make that something that can help guide us. Because in the future, we will need much more wisdom than we sometimes displayed in the past. I believe this is happening at universities, and that is why universities should be such a central element in any country moving forward and certainly a central element in any diplomacy, any effort to truly understand how to live in a more peaceful and prosperous world," Hill stated.

As he added, we all have an obligation to respect what has been done and to always think about how it can be improved.

"In my opinion, Serbia is definitely moving toward the West. I know people disagree with this, they have the right to their opinions, and I have the right to mine. I think Serbia is there today. If you look at economic, social, and political relations, I believe it is moving toward the West," Hill said.