Following the Great School Class, the traditional anti-war event, the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Serbia, H.E. Mr. Michal Pavuk, laid a wreath at the Monument to the Executed Slovak Soldiers in Šumarice. On behalf of the City, Ms Ana Petrović Jelić, Member of the City Council in charge of Culture, also paid tribute to the Slovak soldiers.
Our shared mission is to uphold, preserve and promote anti-war ideals, while paying tribute to the victims and heroes of war is an expression of our profound respect. The Monument to the Executed Slovaks is a symbol of freedom and conveys the universal message “No more killing!” said Ms Petrović Jelić. She added that the brotherhood between our peoples was born in difficult times and continues today through peace, understanding and cooperation. She also expressed her gratitude to the people of Slovakia and the Embassy of Slovakia in Serbia for their enduring commitment to the anti-war cause.
Every year on 21 October, we come to Kragujevac to join the people of this city in remembering all the victims of the Nazi occupation, especially the students and teachers who were executed, said Slovakia’s Ambassador.
Each visit to Šumarice is also an opportunity to pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the 44 Slovak soldiers who rebelled against the killing during the First World War.
Their powerful message against injustice, violence and the senselessness of war is one that we continue to send to the world together today, Ambassador Pavuk added, thanking the City of Kragujevac and the Memorial Park for preserving and maintaining the eternal resting place of the Slovak soldiers. It is important that new generations, too, learn about these historic dates so that such tragedies may never happen again, Ambassador Pavuk concluded.
