Djuric: Strong incentive for Serbian activity in the US, the next gathering under the name "Awakened Strength"

Ambassador of Serbia to the US Marko Djuric told Kosovo Online that the gathering of organizations of Serbian emigrants and people of Serbian origin, after many years in the US capital, had attracted great attention and had attracted leaders of the Serbian community from almost all states of America.

The meeting entitled "Strengthening the Ties" was organized by the Embassy of Serbia in Washington and supported by President Aleksandar Vucic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Prominent businessmen, artists, doctors, lawyers, professors, and even Serbs active in American politics filled the congress hall of the Conrad Hotel in the heart of the American capital. During the two days of this gathering, which released a large amount of positive and creative energy, a completely new incentive was given for Serbian action and organization on the soil of the US. Serb Americans received a new impulse not to sit on the sidelines at a turning point for the Serbian people and the country but to make a decisive contribution to building bridges of cooperation between Serbia and the US and to the overall strengthening of their mother Serbia," Djuric said.

According to Djuric, the great Conference, which was organizationally modern and comprehensive in its content, laid the foundation for the further development of Serbian organizing in the United States.

"Support for the gathering also came from the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Diocese of Eastern America, and the start of the conference was blessed by Bishop Irinej of Eastern America," Djuric added.

The Ambassador of Serbia points out that in a rare example of Serbian harmony, numerous reactions to the meeting by representatives of Kosovo and Metohija Albanians from Pristina were noticed, whose actions were not even a topic of the meeting.

"The event's culmination was a gala evening at the new Serbian embassy near the White House. After one and a half days of networking, focused and productive discussions, identifying challenges, making plans, and political, cultural, and spiritual content – traditional food, a choir, and an orchestra were also included as traditional mood. Effort and enthusiasm have been invested, and we continue with a lot of enthusiasm toward the next steps. We should organize gatherings like this as a platform for Serbian networking in the US at least once a year, right in Washington. With a little luck and a lot of effort and work in the meantime, the working title for the next gathering could be "Awakened Strength"," Djuric said.