The Serbian-American Friendship Congress held an online conference titled "Remembering and Standing with the U.S." to commemorate the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001, and to support and enhance political and economic relations, cooperation, and friendship between the United States and the Republic of Serbia.
Messages of support, the importance of efficient counter-terrorism efforts, and the value of the collaboration between the two countries were conveyed by conference participants, including Vladimir Marinković, Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and founder of the Serbian-American Friendship Congress (SAFC); Ivica Dačić, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Co-Chair of the SAFC Advisory Board; and H.E. Anthony Godfrey, U.S. Ambassador to Serbia.
On the sidelines of the conference, Vladimir Marinković highlighted that the September 11 attack, in terms of brutality and consequences, was one of the most severe terrorist attacks on freedom and human rights.
“We want to express our solidarity, empathy, and friendship with the American people. This act of terrorism united the democratic world in its fight against terrorism and all forms of violence. Serbia condemned this act and, through its policies, both domestically and internationally, confirmed its readiness to uncompromisingly confront and oppose any terrorist act,” said Marinković. He also emphasized the importance of the agreement on economic cooperation between Belgrade and Pristina and the significance of opening the DFC office in Belgrade, which signals to investors that Serbia is a favorable investment destination. Additionally, Marinković noted that support from the U.S. administration represents a significant opportunity for Serbia.
The conference also featured Jelena Milić, Director of the Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies; Nadežda Muzkina from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) addressed the conference via video link; and Republican Congressman Robert Aderholt from Alabama sent a video message. The conference was followed online by members of the National Assembly, representatives from IRI, NDI, USAID, the NATO office in Belgrade, and participants of the SAFC program.
Participants reminded that nearly 3,000 lives were lost in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, and that the global response that followed opened a broad front in the worldwide fight against terrorism.
