Following the Hymn to St. Sava, the crowded hall of “Vatroslav Lisinski” was addressed by the President of SKD “Prosvjeta” Dr Mile Radovic and the Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana Dr Porfirije Peric. The most deserving members of the Serb community in Croatia were presented with annual awards and recognitions.

Retired university professor Dusan Marinkovic was awarded the “Sava Mrkalj” award for invaluable contributions to the culture of Serbs in Croatia. Coordinator of the subcommittee for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia Tihomir Sekerus who has been heading the activities of Cultural Artistic Society “Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj” and subcommittee of Bijelo Brdo since the 1990s, was awarded the “Desanka Djordjevic” award for amateur creation of SKD “Prosvjeta”. “Golden Badge” award for deserving individuals who indebted society by contributing to the achievement of its goals was awarded to retired university professors Djuro Budisavljevic and Dusan Rapo, while the “Charter” for contributions to the work and development of SKD “Prosvjeta” programmes went to the Radio Television of Serbia music production and was picked up by maestro Bojan Sudjic and the President of the RTS Governing Board Vladimir Vuletic. Professor Dusan Marinkovic also thanked the attending on behalf of the award winners.

“Kolibri” children’s choir under the direction of Ljiljana Randjelovic, RTS jazz orchestra and opera divas Snezana Savicic Sekulic, soprano, principal singer of the Belgrade National Theatre Opera, and Ivana Srbljan, mezzosoprano, soloist of “Ivan Zajc” Rijeka performed in the artistic programme.

In addition to the leaders of the Serbian community in Croatia and representatives of the Croatian Parliament Milorad Pupovac and Boris Milosevic, the St. Sava Academy was also attended by the Serbian Ambassador to Croatia Mira Nikolic, and the secretary of the Serbian Ministry of Culture and the Media Igor Jovicic.