The international roundtable titled “Kragujevac – Smolensk: Bridges of Cooperation,” held at the Business Innovation Center with the support of the City of Kragujevac, brought together representatives of municipal institutions and organizations, as well as the Center for Tourism Development of the Smolensk Region. The meeting, organized by the Association of Compatriots and Friends of Russia “Svet,” focused on the exchange of experiences and local practices in developing tourism offerings - including cultural, historical, educational, environmental, event-based, and agritourism.

On behalf of the City, Mr. Marko Janković, Assistant Mayor for Development and Improvement of Local Self-Government, welcomed the participants. He recalled that the Protocol on Cooperation and Friendship, signed in 2009, has already yielded results in the areas of sports and education, as well as through mutual official visits. Mr. Janković highlighted the emergence of new opportunities for expanding cooperation, especially in the field of tourism, which he described as one of the best ways to discover traditions and customs and to further strengthen ties between the two fraternal peoples. I am confident that this roundtable will further strengthen connections among institutions, associations, and individuals from Kragujevac and Smolensk, and that it will result in concrete initiatives in the coming period, emphasized Mr. Janković.

The President of the “Svet” Association, Ms. Natalia Zavirohina, emphasized that the goal of this meeting was to strengthen friendly relations between the two cities, enhance Russian-Serbian cooperation, and exchange experiences in developing tourism potential. For a little less than ten years, the “Svet” Association has been successfully implementing a variety of projects - from courses and exhibitions of Russian artists to art colonies, online forums, and conferences. Particular importance is placed on preserving the memory of the victims of World War II and the soldiers of the Red Army. Further improvement of cooperation in the fields of tourism and culture includes the implementation of joint projects, festivals, and tourist tours, opening a new chapter in the relations between Kragujevac and Smolensk, said Ms. Zavirohina.