Serbian Documentary Tells Story of Reconciliation and Understanding
A heartening documentary about the emotional meeting and shared memories of a US warplane pilot and the Yugoslav missile colonel who shot him down in 1999 is receiving extensive support even before filming has been finished. The touching reconciliation between the two protagonists forms the moving human story of The Second Meeting, from Serbian director Željko Mirković.
In March 1999, news spread around the world that an American F-117A stealth plane had been shot down over the Serb village of Budjanovci. Piloted by US air forceman Dale Zelko, the ‘invisible’ aircraft had been spotted on radar and then brought down at the command of Serbian colonel Zoltan Dani. Photographs of locals dancing on the wreckage of the destroyed airplane were shown worldwide, as the search for the pilot continued.
From Little Acorns, Mighty Oaks Grow
From little acorns, mighty oaks grow. This highly visual phrase can spur us on to make an effort at those difficult early stages of any project. Everything has a beginning. No matter how small or insignificant it might seem, we have to start somewhere.
This well known phrase came to mind this week, as I was preparing to attend the memorial service of good friend and business colleague, Professor Wangari Maathai. The Nobel Peace Laureate from Kenya has been a support and encouragement to me since we met and started working together in 2004. Her attitude to life, her clear-cut approach and her enthusiasm even when times were bleak have inspired many people worldwide. I was fortunate to talk with her extensively, as we travelled in Japan, Norway, France, Kenya and The Congo.
Europe Is Still Serbia’s Best Option, President Tadic Tells Business Leaders
Serbia’s future lies within the EU, if only because there is no better option, President Boris Tadićsaid in London, on Wednesday. “I am not that pro-European as it probably looks,’ he said. “Because of practical reasons, I don’t see any alternative.”
“From time to time I am faced with a challenge to explain why we are keeping that orientation in Serbia, even though the European Union is less attractive than a few years ago,’ said Tadić at The International Institute for Strategic Studies. “I try to explain to ordinary people that this is strategic orientation. This is not about Serbia tomorrow or after tomorrow, this is about Serbia in the next ten or twenty years. Today, tomorrow and in the future. That is very important. This is European integration, not only for Serbia but for all other regional countries.
Balkan States Could Make A Joint Bid For The Olympics, Says Tadic
The Balkan states could collectively host the Olympics in the not too distant future, if Serbia’s President Boris Tadić has his way. In an apparent flash of inspiration while visiting the London 2012 Olympic venues on Wednesday, the president came up with the idea as part of his greater plan to reunite the states of the former Yugoslavia. Maybe the idea is not as far-fetched as it might appear at first.
There are plenty of recent examples of countries working together to successfully host international sporting events. Spain and Portugal put in a combined bid for the World Cup 2018, alongside a bid from The Netherlands and Belgium, while Japan and Korea jointly hosted the football tournament in 2002, so why not bring together these ex-YU stable-mates to hold this sporting opus across the Balkans.
