The Annual Student Awards ceremony for the best essays, an honour that the Foundation “For the Serbian People and State” has been granting for the fourth year to young authors who stand out for their critical thinking on socially relevant topics, was held today in a festive atmosphere at the EXPO 2027 building.
This year’s competition sparked great interest, with a record number of submissions on two topics: “Serbia in the light of global geopolitical changes” and “EXPO: the future that has already begun.”
The expert committee, composed of prominent figures from Serbia’s academic and political spheres, faced an exceptionally difficult task selecting the best from many high-quality essays.
Awards were presented in both categories, with three ranked positions. First place was won by Sanja Gvozdenović and Andrej Filipović, second place went to Ognjen Bojanić and Milica Šljivančanin, while third place was awarded to Dragana Delić and Ivana Macak.
The committee consisted of: Siniša Mali, Minister of Finance and committee chairman; Nemanja Starović, Minister for European integration and member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors; Miša Stojadinović, director of the Institute for Political Studies; Ivan Mrkić, former minister of foreign affairs; Dina Janevski Farčić, marketing director of EXPO 2027; and Prof Srđan Perišić from the University of East Sarajevo.
Nemanja Starović, a member of the Foundation’s Board, addressed the guests and emphasised that the committee faced a very difficult task selecting the best essay, which is why it decided to award three prizes for each topic. He also highlighted the fact that among more than 60 submitted essays there was no detected overlap and they had a zero plagiarism rate.
“The Foundation has enabled students, at a time of challenges faced by higher education institutions in Serbia, to demonstrate that hard work and diligence are always recognised, respected, and rewarded,” Starović stated.
The ceremony concluded with a group photo, along with the announcement that the competition will be organised again next year, with the hope of continuing to encourage young people to think, write, and contribute to society.
With this project, the Foundation “For the Serbian People and State” continues its mission of supporting youth, promoting knowledge, and fostering patriotic and responsible reflection on Serbia’s future.
