Belgrade, Republic fo Serbia, October 11th-12th, 2021

A high-level meeting dedicated to marking the 60th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, participated today in the High-Level Meeting, dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement, and pointed out that this is a unique opportunity to discuss all issues of common interest and build new bridges of friendship. and cooperation.

"Dear friends, welcome home! Belgrade has been, is and will be a proud host to every human being who carries the soul of peace. The basic idea, around which our predecessors gathered when they founded this movement, is peace," said the president. In his address, as co-host of the Commemorative Gathering, Vučić added that peace is the basis for the development of political, cultural and economic cooperation. He thanked the heads of delegations for their presence and for pointing out an exceptional part to Serbia, as the host.

"It is a great privilege and honor for us all to gather in Belgrade today, where, I hope, in the coming days, you will feel at home," said President Vučić and stressed that he was convinced that the world of dialogue, peace and compromise is achievable and possible. He told the participants that this is an exceptional opportunity to discuss the future and that the international cooperation is the only way to the overall well-being and prosperity of all humanity.

"Despite numerous ups and downs, the history of the Non-Aligned Movement is, I am convinced, a success story," said President Vučić, pointing out  that the United Nations Agenda 2030 emphasizes and promotes three great goals - peace and security, development and human rights.

"Having in mind the mentioned agenda, the UN established the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, and on April 24th, 2019, we celebrated that day for the first time. Serbia, as the legal successor of Yugoslavia, the founding country of the UN and the Non-Aligned Movement, is a proud promoter of policy of multilateralism and respect for international legal norms ", said President Vučić and added that he was convinced that Belgrade, as a centuries-old symbol of the crossroads of civilizations, a point of contact and meeting between East and West, where different civilizations, cultures and religions have always met, can encourage to dialogue and the construction of new bridges of cooperation.

President Vučić stated that the wish was to pay tribute to the first conference of the Non-Aligned in Belgrade, which was  held in 1961, during the block divisions, and which gave great historical significance to the creation of a different vision of the world.

"That vision is based on mutual cooperation and respect between states and peoples, and there was no room in it for the domination of one state over another. I hope, however, that we will not only talk about the past, but also about the future we want to build together, because I am convinced that the world of dialogue, compromise and peace is still possible and achievable ", said President Vučić and reminded that a large number of leaders in 1961, at a time of global turmoil and insecurity, had the courage to articulate an alternative path in the then bipolar world, despite the fact that the Movement then consisted of states of different identities, cultures, religions, and political and economic systems.

"We should not forget the essential role that the Movement played in preserving peace and security in the world and the process of decolonization, which promoted equal social and economic development of all countries," President Vučić underlined.

"The future of equals, where the same rights apply to all, is the direction this Movement has taken from the beginning, it is the idea that most countries in the world still strive for today. What we are advocating is not just a matter of interest for each individual country, but one of the greatest civilizational steps forward, which this world must take if it is to survive as a world, and not as a kind of camp in which there is no place for all, whose keys are held only by those who are rich, and those who agree to be exploited will be liberated ", President Vučić pointed out and added that the right to decide one's own destiny is not a sin, but that it is a right that should belong to everyone, regardless of their size and wealth, strength or power at their disposal.

"I think we will agree that today's world is different in many ways from 1961. Globalization, increased interdependence and the development of new technologies have undoubtedly made the planet smaller, but they have also affected our daily lives. At the same time, it is not just a word. "The number of challenges we face, which also know no borders, but the nature of all this is far more complex. That is why today, perhaps more than ever, it is necessary to work on strengthening multilateralism and the multilateral world order," said President Vučić. and stressed that each new challenge reminds us that no country is an isolated and self-sufficient island, and that cooperation and solidarity are the only path to individual and collective prosperity.

"I think this is the basis on which the members of the Movement stood united despite their differences. The Non-Aligned Movement has been and always remains a symbol of a freedom-loving part of the world ready to fight for its independence, autonomy and sovereignty and I am deeply convinced that continue to fight for these goals, because that is something that needs to be fought for, "said President Vučić and told those gathered that Serbia knows how difficult this fight is.

"Of all our struggles, the most painful is the one aimed at preserving sovereignty and territorial integrity, that is, resolving the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. Fighting for its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Serbia simultaneously defends the universal principles of the UN Charter and international law, but also some of key principles on which the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries was founded ", concluded President Vučić and especially emphasized that Serbia, despite all challenges, remains strongly committed to finding a compromise solution that would guarantee lasting peace and stability.

High Level Commemorative Meeting on 60th Anniversary of the Non Alignment Movement -NAM held in Belgrade 2021.(for more, please click on the title).