The Diplomacy & Commerce Magazine , Serbian edition, a syndication of London’s The Economist magazine, celebrated its third birthday on 20 March at the National Museum in Belgrade.
In addition to the fact that with this event the magazine marked the third anniversary of the launch, at the event the DIPLOMACY & COMMERCE AWARDS were presented for individuals, companies and organisations that highlighted humanitarian work, CSR activities, mergers of business and culture, and contributed to the improvement of business conditions, bilateral cooperation, civil society and the economic environment in Serbia.
Members of the jury who decided on the winners were: Marko Čadež PKS, Martin Knapp AHK, Sanja Ivanić CCIFS, Mirjana Kojić CCIS, Ana Grujović SSCC, Marija Radulović HPK, Danijela Fišakov SPK, Selena Đorđević HBA, Ruža Ristanović, DC, Robert Čoban, President CPG.
President of the Color Press Group, Robert Čoban thanked all the guests and said:
“When Prince Pavle and Milan Kasanin began to buy important works of the world’s greatest painters about a hundred years ago, they were dealing with the idea of Serbia and Yugoslavia in the community of European nations. Many of these works have the opportunity to look at the National Museum today. When our painters Milan Konjović, Sava Šumanović and others went to Paris, they were given the same idea that we should be part of the modern world and that they should transfer these values to their Šid and Sombor. And their works you will have the opportunity to see today. Over the past years, it has often been that people in our country are tired of waiting for eurointegration, that this tired Europe may not want us; and the country from which the magazine “The Economist” comes with which we are issuing “Diplomacy & Commerce” – leaves the same Europe with no small complications. Nevertheless, we still deeply believe that our place is in the community of European nations, nations that have the freedom and equality of people as the highest values. On the way to Europe, three years ago we launched the magazine “Diplomacy & Commerce” in Serbia, a year and a half later, the first issue of the Croatian edition of the magazine was published, and last month in the residence of the United Kingdom Embassy in Vienna we launched “Diplomacy & Commerce Austria “. In September, the first issue of “Diplomacy & Commerce Slovenia” will be released in Ljubljana, and at the end of this year we will hold the conference “World in 2020” in the premises of the Croatian National Bank for the first time, and promotion of the same magazine. Perhaps Europe is not such a popular topic today, but I am using this opportunity to remind you that at this place, in the National Museum where this is best seen, we inherit European traditions and that it is the society in which we want to be in the future!”
After the awards ceremony, the third birthday was celebrated in the Atrium of the National Museum, together with representatives of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, diplomatic corps, foreign and domestic chambers of commerce, business associations, international and domestic institutions, organizations and representatives of business, cultural and public life of Serbia.
All guests were able to savour guided tour of the exhibition SERBIAN ART 18TH- 19TH CENTURY, which contains more than 1,500 works of Serbian authors, representing the development of 18th and 19th century Serbian art.
The awards were the following:
Special award for contribution to the development of civil society
Sem Fabrizi Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia
Award for the improvement of business conditions
Western Balkans Six Chamber Investment Forum
Award for the promotion of bilateral cooperation and economic environment
Austrian Economic Chamber WKO
Award for the Best Socially Responsible Company
Coca Cola and Nelt Serbia
Award for the Best Socially Responsible Campaign
Delta Holding
project “Our Village”
Award for contribution to the development of artistic creativity and preservation of cultural heritage
Heineken and National Museum
Award for the Biggest Charity Contribution and award the foundation of the year
Novak Đoković and Novak Djoković Foundation
Award for Business Innovation
Bitgear
building a network for Telekom Serbia
Special award for the contribution to the development of the investment climate
European Investment Bank
Special prize for contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage
Vojvođanska banka
Award for the development of higher education
The College of Applied Health Sciences in Ćuprija