PRESENT EVEN WHEN THEY DISPUTE IT: The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts solemnly marked the 180th anniversary of its founding

NO ONE in the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts cultivates excessive illusions about its scope and influence, but the role of national academies in a time characterized by an “elite crisis” and an “expert crisis” is neither superfluous nor ephemeral. A large part of the public has unhidden expectations from the Academy, but the entire public does not have those expectations, and some wish for the disappearance of SANU. In the time ahead, we will have to be present even when they deny us that right, to communicate with the environment that gave birth to us and to try to be as clear as possible.

This was said on Friday by the president of SANU, Vladimir Kostić, in a speech at the ceremony marking the Academy Day and the 180th anniversary of its founding.

Referring to the past election cycle, Kostic assessed that it was partially unsuccessful, due to the small number of elected colleagues, and especially the absence of elected colleagues. He assessed that the communication with the academic community, the state and the Serbian Orthodox Church had become impoverished, and announced that SANU would work on overcoming that problem, as if the entire blame was on the Academy.

Kostic believes that there is a misunderstanding of the advisory role of SANU and that it is forgotten that the Academy does not make decisions, but may facilitate their adoption, with frequent accusations of slowness.

– Aren’t we in a special problem when we are facing lightly set demands of world powers to solve centuries-old problems with inappropriate speed – Kosovo and Metohija, for example – the president of SANU pointed out.

He also referred to the crisis caused by the Kovid 19 pandemic, reminding that he was of the opinion that it marked the end of market domination and the beginning of the return of awareness of interdependence.

– This crisis, which has exposed too much in itself, may have the beginning of a chance, provided that we are able to recognize it and then eventually use it – said Academician Kostić.

He stated that he still believes that the only path of Serbia, and on that line the path of scientific and artistic activity of SANU, is “the conquest of democracy and freedom”, a space whose endangerment we are witnessing here and now.

At today’s ceremony, the newly elected correspondent members were awarded election certificates and the SANU badge.

In the music part of the program, the corresponding member of SANU, Jelena Jovanović, performed three traditional songs with the female singing group “Moba”.

MEDALS TO GUTMAN AND KRESTIC

At the ceremony, the newly established medals of SANU were awarded. The recognition in the field of natural sciences went to academician Ivan Gutman, while the medal for the field of social sciences and humanities was awarded to academician Vasilije Krestic.

– This is one of the greatest honors I have experienced during my century, and now it is exactly 50 years to do scientific research – said Gutman.

Krestic pointed out that this recognition is a formal and real confirmation that decades of work and scientific performance have not been in vain, that they have repercussions in the environment in which they were created and in the society for which they are intended.