The International Association of Peace Messenger Cities, of which Kragujevac is a member, is holding a meeting of its Executive Board in our city today. Representatives of seven member cities are taking part in the meeting, both in person and via an online platform: Morphou, Cyprus, represented by Mayor Victor Hadjiavram, President of the Association; Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia, represented by Mayor Tilen Klugler, Secretary General; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Żurrieq, Malta; Coventry, United Kingdom; and Płońsk, Poland. On behalf of the host city, the meeting is attended by Danka Andonovski, Member of the City Council in charge of international cooperation and local self-government.
As its very name suggests, the International Association of Cities Messengers of Peace is an organization dedicated to promoting peace - something we tend to take for granted and only truly understand once it is lost, Andonovski emphasized. She recalled that the Association has existed for nearly 40 years and that Kragujevac has been an official member since its founding. She underlined that the organization itself stands as confirmation of the responsibility borne by local authorities in each member city to create and preserve a culture of peace within their respective communities.
The Association’s commitment to promoting anti-war values is also reflected in its support for the International Anti-War Cartoon Salon, which our city organizes every two years. As Andonovski concluded, the very essence of the organization’s mission is to safeguard and promote humane principles above any wartime objectives.
Kragujevac has a strong historical legacy and has repeatedly affirmed its role as a guardian of peace, which is why it is hosting today’s meeting, said the Association’s Secretary General, Tilen Klugler. Speaking about the mission of the member cities and the message they wish to send to the world, he emphasized the necessity of building bridges among people, cities, and cultures. Peace does not come on its own - it requires daily effort, and we must strive to ensure that those who will shape the future, our children, embrace this value and aspire to live in peace. More than 100 wars are currently being waged around the world, and in every conflict it is civilians and children who suffer the most. Therefore, from Kragujevac today we will send a strong and clear message to all those responsible for peace, Klugler stressed, because the solution lies in establishing dialogue among the highest political and religious leaders.
