Djuric: Serbia will soon have its own residence in Washington

Serbia, after opening a permanent embassy building in Washington in mid-October last year, located less than a mile from the White House, would have a Serbian residence in the US capital from June, Ambassador Marko Djuric announced, adding that it would be in an object of great historical importance for both countries, RTV reports.

The ambassador announced that after the ongoing reconstruction, the Serbian residence would become the home of extraordinary events and manifestations - cultural and political.

"In June, we will open a Serbian residence here in Washington, it is a building of enormous historical importance for both Washington and the Serbs, considering that in 1942 it became the residence of King Peter in exile," Djuric told Tanjug, speaking at the new embassy in Washington, located in a historic building that Serbia bought and recently turned into its new diplomatic and consular representation.

Djuric reminded that the building, now the future Serbian residence, had been bought by the first, extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in Washington, Konstantin Fotic, for the needs of Serbia, but it had been in a "wretched and deplorable" condition for decades.

"It was in a state of disrepair, and now in June, with the support of our competent institutions, we are finishing a major restoration job, and once again the Serbian house in Washington, with even the restored King Peter's piano, will shine with its full splendor and be home to phenomenal events and manifestations, not only in the field of culture and creativity but also political ones," Djuric says.

As Djuric reminded, only in January of this year, as far as cultural creativity was concerned, the embassy had organized a concert of Serbian music in the Kennedy Center, and in the embassy building a fashion show of Serbian folk costumes from the collection of Biljana Regan with more than 200 costumes from all over Serbia with a special with an accent on those from Kosovo and Metohija, as well as numerous literary evenings and workshops for children.

"We organized an exhibition of modern Serbian paintings, and photos of Serbia's UNESCO heritage. I am proud that Serbia is making great efforts to change its image for the better," the ambassador said.
In October last year, Serbia opened a new embassy building in Washington, and the ceremonial ribbon was cut by the special US envoy for the Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, together with Ambassador Djuric.

Thus, for the first time since the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, the Serbian embassy got its permanent home, under its ownership, on 16th Street in a historic building that was once the home of the American Secretary of State during the time of President Theodore Roosevelt - Elihu Root, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize (1913).