Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivan Mrkic attended today the central ceremony "Djetinja 2014" held on the occasion of Serbian Armed Forces Day in the centre of the city of Uzice.

President of the Republic of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic addressed those present at the ceremony, saying that commemoration of the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War was an opportunity to remember the heroism and suffering of the Serbian people and army. President Nikolic pointed out that the present task was to live and increase the birth rate, and not to wage wars and die. "Since the last year's marking of the SAF Day, SAF members have been carrying out their missions and completing their tasks with a clear vision of development and the role in the Serbian society", the President stated in his address.

Speaker of the National Assembly Nebojsa Stefanovic, Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Internal Trade and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic, Minister of Defence Nebojsa Rodic, General Ljubisa Dikovic, Chief of the SAF General Staff, as well as Government Ministers Nikola Selakovic, Tomislav Jovanovic, Velimir Ilic and Vanja Udovicic attended the ceremony.

The ceremony commenced with gun salutes fired by the SAF Guard, accompanied by the Guard unit parade, at Partisans square in Uzice. A demonstration of the SAF operational capabilities was organized as well.

Serbian Armed Forces Day is observed on 23 April to commemorate the date when the Second Serbian Uprising, representing a watershed in the creation of a modern Serbian state and army, broke out in 1815.