Children from Croatia, attendees of "Saint Sava" Regional Summer School visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where the Secretary General of the Ministry Veljko Odalovic welcomed them at the Museum of Serbian Diplomacy.

Secretary General Odalovic underlined that among other responsibilities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also charged with promoting the relations with the neighbouring countries, and consequently with the Serbian people living outside of the borders of their home country, thus helping improve their position.
"Simultaneously, through the work of a body operating under the Ministry – the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region, as well as through various programmes and projects, we take care of the Serbs living in the neighbouring countries and of the preservation of the Serbian cultural and national identity", Odalovic said and stressed that the projects such as the "Saint Sava" Regional Summer School were of utmost importance because they kept the communication alive and strengthened the ties of those Serbs living abroad with their homeland.

"It is important to know that Serbia is here for you, that you are part of the Serbian nation as a whole; it is important that you come often and that you value and have faith in our collective spirit", Odalovic said and added that he was well aware of the problems facing the Serbs in Croatia and that there was still a lot of work left for Croatia to do regarding this issue.

"Serbia is proud of its conduct towards national minorities", Odalovic said, adding that the Serbs were entitled to same universal rights in Croatia, that they should be strong, equally treated and aware of their identity, as Serbia, their home country, would continue to work on the preservation of the cultural identity and language of the Serbian people living in the neighbouring countries.

The "Saint Sava" Regional Summer School takes place from 22 to 28 August in Belgrade, the attendees being around 25 children aged 8-14 from all across Croatia – from Moravica, Ljubosina (Primorska-Gorski Kotar County), Zadar (Zadar County), Plasko, Vojnic, (Karlovac County), Vrginomost, Topuski (Sisak-Moslavina County), Borovo, Vukovar (Vukovar Srem County). Every day the children attend classes in Serbian history, language and literature and go sightseeing in Belgrade, visit important institutions, such as the National Museum, Museum of Vuk Karadzic and Dositej Obradovic, the Museum of the Patriarchate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Temple of Saint Sava, the Royal Compound, etc.

The "Saint Sava" Regional Summer School project is co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region.