Commission for Old Fairgrounds memorial site meets

Commission for Old Fairgrounds memorial site meets

The meeting was chaired by SPC Bishop of Slavonia Jovan Culibrk, and attended by special envoy of the U.S. State Department for Holocaust Issues Nicholas Dean, U.S. embassy in Serbia Consular Chief Matt Flannigan and the Deputy Chairperson of the City Assembly Andrea Radulovic.

According to a statement, Goran Vesic pointed out that the City of Belgrade was greatly honored by Dean's visit to the City Assembly that "showed how the importance the U.S. attach to the project of preparation of the Memorial Complex Old Fairgrounds (Staro Sajmiste) and how much it finds it to be a significant issue."

"We are glad that we will have the support of the U.S. and today we've informed them about the progress of works. The central tower will be freed up by the end of the year, and all those who have a studio there, will get another. In this way we will be ready to begin reconstruction of the central tower, and at the same time we are working on subdividing and we're close to a solution to this problem. We have all the conditions to begin with the reconstruction of the Old Fiirgrounds, but it is a process that will last for years and cannot be completed within six months or a year," Vesic said, and added:

"However, once we start with the help of all our friends, we will finish it and Serbia will have a memorial center it deserves. We agreed that the U.S. government through its embassy will be present and monitor in order to be part of this process. I believe that today is a great day for all of us and we, as members of the committee want the Old Fairgrounds to finally be a place of remembrance, instead of what happened here during the Second World War o be unknown."

Bishop Jovan stressed that the commission today hosted the U.S. Department official, and added:

"We talked about insight into the concept of the Old Fairgrounds as we envision the future memorial complex, and the necessary steps that the City of Belgrade and the commission are making on the issue of the central tower. The old tower has been used as an art studio. The City of Belgrade has secured funds for these artists, and soon we can expect to start arranging this area will hold the administration of the future memorial center. The U.S. State Department envoy for Holocaust Issues Nicholas Dean offered not only that we visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington, but also the help of the State Department in putting the future memorial on the world list of memorials related to World War II."