EATS had the honour and pleasure to welcome mr.Silvano Marseglia in Belgrade from August 28th to August 30th, 2014.
During the official visit there was a series of meetings with members of EATS, representatives of the Education Committee of the Assembly of Republic of Serbia and the minister of Education, mr.Srdjan Verbić. His hosts during the visit were president of EATS, mr.Rade Zejak and secretary, ms.Sandra Plazibat.
The official visit began with the meeting with the vice-president of the Education Committee of Assembly of Republic of Serbia, mr.Ljubiša Stojmirović, PhD. It was pointed out in a cordial conversation that education is a vital segment of society that deserves special attention in modern times, but that the challenges that it encounters on its path are great. The circumstances don’t offer much width for maneuvering and that therefore each contact with colleagues from abroad is welcome and valuable for the sake of exchange of experience and creating better opportunities for new generations who expect quality and advanced education in the 21st century. President of the EATS introduced the present with the work and activities of the association as well as with the expectations for Serbia to become full-fledged member of AEDE and join European colleagues from 26 countries of this prestigious organization founded in 1956.
The initiative of the EATS to cooperate closer with the AEDE was greeted and the support of the state was promised because the country has always had great names in different fields of science that are known throughout Europe and wider.
Mr.Marseglia has also met with the minister of education mr.Srdjan Verbić, deputy of the minister for international cooperation, mr.Viktor Nedović and the state secretary for education, mrs.Snežana Marković.
Participants of the conversation stressed that participation of Serbia on regional and European scene is necessary for presenting the capacities of Serbia in the field of education and for applying positive examples of good practice in domestic schools.
Two big projects are about to start in Europe in the forthcoming period and refer to the Great War and the concept “European Citizen“ promoting values and traditions of European countries throughout the continent.
Minister Verbić stressed the importance of the association that is about to gather colleagues from all fields in a unique organisation because until now there have only existed professional associations of specific sciences. Mr. Verbić also pointed out the need of cooperation among former Yugoslav countries and the readiness of the Ministry to give its full support regarding the matter. He greeted the guest with great enthusiasm and promised state support in the cooperation with the AEDE giving the assignment to the international cooperation sector of the Ministry.
Mr.Marseglia thanked for the warm welcome and enthusiasm he has encountered on the highest state level and promised to do everything so that Serbia, as an affiliate of the AEDE, gets access to European funds so that national projects can live outside the borders of the country. Besides this mr.Marseglia has stressed that AEDE has a great number of projects being developed in Europe and that one of the most important is “European Citizen“starting from the end of January 2015.
Mr.Marseglia introduced the document “European Teacher today“ acknowledged on congress in Bruges in 2012. Serbia began its cooperation with the AEDE in 2011.on the Congress in Bucharest when mr.Zejak attended as an observer, which was continued on congresses in Bruges and Strasbourg the following two years. The AEDE president pointed out the need of the cooperation among the Balkan countries and offered help in that respect.
EATS is planned to become the full-fledged member of the AEDE in November 2014 on Congress in Strasbourg and intensify its work afterwards.
President of the AEDE, mr.Rade Zejak, thanked for the offered trust as well as for the support that the state is willing to invest in the forthcoming period and also added that EATS will try to be a partner of the Ministry and initiate changes with its professional potential. As a national organization within the AEDE it will do its best to develop partnerships in country and in Europe stressing that our country is ready to share European values.
On behalf of the International cooperation sector of the Ministry, mr.Nedović presented the projects the country is involved with, making special emphasis on Erasmus Plus project.
What followed was the meeting with the members of the national association on the premises of the Sixth Belgrade Grammar school where mr.Marseglia talked about the work of the organization and answered the members’ questions regarding their own ideas and projects and the possibilities of offering them to colleagues from Europe.
Mr.Marseglia had solutions to the questions and therefore plans for the initial contacts were made.
The visit was organized and carried out to the satisfaction of both parties.