Serbia hosts reception in New York to promote EXPO 2027

NEW YORK - The Serbian Permanent Mission to the UN hosted a reception titled Serbia Beyond Future at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday to promote the EXPO 2027 and everything Serbia has to offer when it comes to know-how, science, innovation and development in technology.

Addressing international officials who attended the event, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia was one of the fastest-growing economies and that it was developing information technologies and wanted to be a frontrunner in AI development in biotech.

"We are a small country that is trying to jump on that train, the right train, the train that is on the right track. We are proud of our achievements in biotech and the fact the BIO4 campus is unique in the world," Vucic said.

The reception opened with a film about Serbia's progress in development of new technologies, science and technology parks and scientific advances.

In the film, it is noted that Serbia is a leader in tech innovation and that it has become a hub for advances in digitalisation.

In his speech, Vucic said everyone was talking about wars and about what would happen in the future, while no one was talking about nice things.

"Tonight, it is important to talk about something good and nice, something that belongs in the future - the development of a country in the Western Balkans," he said.

He said young people were an important component of every society and that every effort must be made to ensure a prosperous future to them as that also ensured the future of entire humanity.

"Achieving sustainable development goals will be difficult without young people. That is why it is necessary to encourage them to make global decisions and fulfil their potential as individuals and as a society. A safe environment, education and inclusion of young people in national policies is a top priority task," Vucic said.

Serbian Minister of Science, Technological Progress and Innovation Jelena Begovic noted that Serbia would have the opportunity to chair the Global Partnership for Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) - the engine of the future and development in the world, as well as a source of solutions to global challenges.

"We see Serbia as a country of know-how, innovation and science, which will bring advances to society and connect us with the entire world, united to the benefit of humanity," Begovic said.