First Lady of Serbia, Tamara Vucic, highlighted the power of culture in diplomacy during the opening ceremony of Serbian Cultural Days in Egypt.
The three-day event kicked off at the Cairo Opera House Thursday on the occasion of 116 years of diplomatic relations between both countries.
“Culture is the tip of the spear of diplomacy, penetrating doors sometimes closed by misunderstanding, circumstance, pressure, or current events,” Vucic said.
“It is the beauty that blinds you and opens sights you never knew existed; an outreached hand that offers possibilities you thought forever lost; the passing-by smile that makes you noble and mitigates bad thoughts,’ she added.
During the event, Vucic inaugurated an exhibition showcasing a group of possessions of the spouse of the late President Tito, one of the founders of the Non-Aligned Movement.
The Serbian first lady attended a cultural performance that blended Egyptian and Serbian folk music and dance. The event featured the Serbian Kolo Troupe as well as the R
eda Folkloric Dance Troupe,
Minister of Culture Ahmed Hanno, Egyptian Ambassador to Belgrade Bassel Salah, and Serbian Ambassador to Cairo Miroslav Shestovic attended the event.
Vucic said Serbia wants to open the door for more understanding and cooperation.
‘We want to build not only the best diplomatic relations with Egypt but also the bridge of friendship, understanding and close cooperation,’ she continued.
Tamara Vucic expressed her respect for all cultures while assuring her adherence to the culture of her country.
Although Serbia is a small country in terms of its land area and population, it proudly preserves its heritage, and culture, not allowing the globalization waves to turn it into one spot of mono-cultural community, she added.
‘I am particularly delighted to have the chance to bring a part of our cultural heritage, this vital artery of the Serbian people, closer to the Egyptian people. We take great pride in our long-standing historical ties and close diplomatic relations,’ he pointed ou
t.
Tamara Vucic also emphasized the need to preserve the long-standing roots and values of each country while being open to the changes that inevitably come over time.
Exemplifying her point, she noted that Egypt, one of the oldest civilizations studied extensively in educational curricula, has built modern cities and contemporary magnificent buildings.
Drawing a parallel with her own country, Vucic clarified that Serbia adopts a similar approach, renewing its museums and opening new sites of historical, cultural, and archaeological significance that resonate with the contemporary world.
She reckoned such an approach as a crucial step forward towards embracing artificial intelligence and digitization.
‘Getting to know a diverse richness of different nations we discover all those subtle details that make human community a unique whole. I truly believe that the exchange of cultural values, such as the Days of Serbian Culture in Egypt, will encourage also other forms of cooperation on the common path of dev
elopment of the two countries,’ she explained.
‘Only together, relying on each other, we can reach the goals put before us by the 21st century,’ she continued.
The Serbian first lady reminded the attendees of the power demonstrated by the international community of nations that had refused to be divided by the Cold War and had instead built the third world on the foundations of good and friendly relations.
The non-aligned movement, she said, had played at that time a significant role in global developments and had become an essential factor in geopolitical dynamics.
‘The legacy of this progressive idea, founded by leaders like Nasser, Nehru, and Josip Broz Tito, is still felt today. We recognize the need for free-thinking nations to unite based on friendship and mutual understanding, to work for the benefit and survival of humanity,’ she added.
Source: State Information Service Egypt
