Minister Dacic addresses the teachers selected to work abroad

Full statement by Minister Dacic reads as follows:

"Esteemed Minister Djukic Dejanovic,
Esteemed teachers,
Dear friends,

It is a great honour and pleasure to greet you on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia and on my own behalf.

At the outset, I wish to congratulate you for choosing to participate in a valuable and noble mission which aims to preserve the ties between our emigrants and the motherland. Your calling as such is worthy of utmost respect, because to be able to teach young people and children you need not only great expertise and talent, but also love for what you do. Your desire to teach our expatriates, especially the youngest generation, is even more admirable.

Preservation, strengthening and maintenance of ties between the diaspora and Serbs living in the region with the mother country is one of the strategic goals of the Republic of Serbia, which, I will remind you, is based on the provisions of the Constitution of our country. In this context, teaching the Serbian language abroad represents an extremely important and demanding duty that we have towards our fellow citizens who live and work outside of Serbia.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including our diplomatic and consular missions, implement a series of measures and activities aimed at developing awareness of the importance of the Serbian language in preserving national and cultural identity and establishing lasting ties with the homeland, and strive to continuously promote and expand the network of schools holding classes in the Serbian language abroad.

We have a very good track record in this regard. Today, classes in the Serbian language are carried out in 19 countries, in all places where our people live and work - from Germany and Austria to Australia and the Republic of South Africa. And what is even more important, 8,000 children attend lessons in their mother tongue.

Our wish is to expand this common mission further, we want our programs and teachers to reach all the places where our people live and where there is a desire for their children to attend classes in their mother tongue.

We believe that, no matter where they live and no matter how well integrated they are into the societies they are a part of, they have every right to maintain a connection with their culture, their language, and thus preserve their identity. The job of the state and of us in its institutions is to provide them with the best conditions to exercise that right, and not only the right, but also the strong desire that especially the young generations do not sever ties with their culture, our heritage, and above all with the Serbian language.

The number of those interested in lessons in the Serbian language is growing year by year, which should be a great encouragement for us all. This means that our people in the diaspora pay attention to their identity, that they want it to be known where they came from and that they want to pass that sense of patriotism on to their children.

You and your expertise, but above all your love for your vocation, are the most important link in our joint mission. I am confident that you will represent your country in a dignified manner in host countries and that with your professionalism you will contribute to the development of awareness of national and cultural identity and the sense of belonging to the Republic of Serbia, to fostering the Serbian language, tradition and culture and strengthening lasting ties with the homeland.

I wish you every success and once again, with great thanks for your enthusiasm, do not forget that as representatives of the state we are always available to lend you a helping hand and support you in your important work.

Thank you!"