Group of 24 graduates, best two from 12 high schools in Belgrade’s Stari grad municipality, were awarded a six-day study visit to Brussels in mid-September during which they toured not only EU institutions, youth organisations, Serbia’s representative office in the EU, but museums and other landmarks as well.
The trip was financed by the EU Delegation and the project is planned to become a tradition.
“Lectures in Parliament, Commission and Council brought me enormous inner richness and pleasure,” Hana Nurkovic begins her story about the stay in the EU headquarters.
“Each one of our hosts, or lecturers, had something new and interesting to say and then had enough patience to answer all of our questions in detail. I must note that, although we are still children, people there treated us with respect, and I believe we were all honoured and proud to be there,” Hana says.
Jelena Pejanovic has the same impression and adds that during the stay she learned a lot, including that “knowledge about the EU is an important part of every young European citizen’s education.”
Three things left strong impression on Petar Kovrlija:
“First one is a conversation with Tomislav Tadic in the EU Council, who shared with us the experience of Croatia and its citizens in the process of accession,” Petar says.
“Second is the fact that, in Serbia, the accession negotiations are perceived as EU’s caprice, whereas in reality, negotiations are about gradually improving standards in order to get closer to the Union,” he added.
Third strong impression was “the visit to Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the EU and Deputy Ambassador Milos Todorovic and his optimistic attitude while talking about Serbia joining the EU by 2020, even though during our previous lectures we have been told it is highly unlikely for Serbia to become a Member State in the next 10 years.”
Hana stressed meetings in European Youth Forum as highly important for experience exchange, saying people there “showed her new views on lives of the young in the European Union and Serbia.”
“As a person who made a decision to study in my home country, I can say this journey opened a new range of ideas, ways of thinking and possibilities. Also, after all the lectures I realised that young people are, oftentimes, unaware of the fact that it is they who contribute to the progress of their country, as well as the fact that, by making efforts and showing commitment, Serbia can too be a part of the European family,” First Belgrade Gymnasium graduate said.
