Public figures, foreign leaders honored on Statehood Day

Public figures, foreign leaders honored on Statehood Day

He remarked that recognizing the achievements of those working in the fields of culture, art and science must not be sidelined, and that "the indifference" toward the successes of individuals and institutions that are better known abroad than at home was "inexplicable."

According to Nikolic, it is his duty and privilege in building a humane community to highlight those who excel, building and promoting the highest values with their selfless effort and sacrifice, adding this was "one of the tasks that brings him the most joy." The president added that "a basic unit " to measure the success of a state and society is in its contribution not only to the homeland, but to the global scientific and art community, and that if citizens were better informed about those, the number of those decorated every year on Statehood Day would not cause surprise.

"This year, like every year, to our joy, there could have been twice as many (recipients) as there are, because 'love and work are the foundations of our humanity,' as Freud said, unconsciously thinking about our Serbia, too," said Nikolic, congratulating the recipients, and sending Statehood Day greetings to Serbian citizens.

This year's list includes Mladomir Purisa Djordjevic, Ranko Zeravica (posthumously), Arno Gujon, Milovan Danojlic, Miroslava Mira Stupica, Zvonko Bogdan, Veljko Guberina, Dejan Savic, Dragi Jelic, Zika Jelic, Donka Spicek, and members of the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Army. The institutions honored this Statehood Day include the Krusevac Gymnasium, the Serbian Geological Society, the Mihajlo Pupin Institute, the Natural Museum in Belgrade, the Corn Institute Zemun Polje, the Mathematical Gymnasium in Belgrade, the Music School Mokranjac, the Library of the City of Belgrade, and the Institute for Microbiology and Immunology.

Foreign leaders who received the Serbian state decoration include presidents of Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cape Verde, South Africa, South Sudan, Cameroon, Kenya, Congo, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, and the Central African Republic.