Speaking at the ceremony, held on the birthday of one of the greatest Serbian scientists and inventors, Mihajlo Pupin, Brnabic said that members of the Pupin Initiative will work on strengthening Serbia's international position, proposing development strategies for our country and exchanging knowledge and experience between Serbia and the USA.
She underlined that this initiative comes as a breath of fresh air, especially in these complex times, not only in Europe but also in the world.
The Pupin Initiative comes as a breath of fresh air, not only in the context of Serbian-American relations, but because by founding it, you set an example for other young people to continue with their dreams and initiatives to change Serbia together in a democratic society, because that is the only Serbia that can be strong and powerful, said Brnabic and added that the Pupin Initiative aims to open a new chapter in relations between Serbia and the USA.
US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill highlighted the importance of the Pupin Initiative and underlined that he will do everything in his power to support it.
I want all of Serbia to hear about you, the entire American-Serbian community, so that everyone knows what we can do together for a better future for our two countries. If we worked together, we would be stronger in the region, we would empower Europe, the EU, which would be stronger with the admission of Serbia, our partnership and relationship would be stronger, said Hill.
The US Ambassador underlined that the example of the Pupin Initiative shows what he always says, which is that there are more things that connect the Serbian and American people than those that separate them.
Executive Director of the Pupin Initiative Vuk Velebit stated that the goal of this initiative is to create a new chapter in the relations between the two countries - a chapter that will bear the name of Mihajlo Pupin.
Velebit said that everyone gathered in this initiative wants to write and create a new narrative in the relations between Serbia and the USA and added that they will not be financed by any government in order to have independence in their work.
He pointed out that better relations also mean a better position of Serbia in the region, and having Serbian interests in focus represents a new Serbian patriotism in the Pupin Initiative.
The Pupin Initiative is the first Serbian privately funded, non-profit organisation based in Belgrade and Washington, which will comprehensively deal with Serbian-American relations through the creation of policy proposals, solutions and strategies.
The initiative will work on strengthening Serbia's international position, proposing development strategies for our country and exchanging knowledge and experience between Serbia and the United States.