6/5/2017
180 Years of Diplomatic Relations Between Great Britain and Serbia
At a formal promotion at the PTT Museum today, a postage stamp has been put into circulation in honor of 180 years since the establishment of official diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Serbia.
At a formal promotion at the PTT Museum today, a postage stamp has been put into circulation in honor of 180 years since the establishment of official diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Serbia.
On this occasion, His Excellency Denis Keefe, the British Ambassador, thanked the Post of Serbia for this valuable and representative edition.
"On this day, exactly 180 years ago, Colonel Loyd George Hodges handed over the credentials of King William the Fourth to Prince Miloš in Kragujevac. Our official relations have been in place since 1837, but important contacts existed before", said the British ambassador and pointed out that the essence of relations between the two countries lies in mutual values and positive human examples of cooperation and alliances.
"Britain and Serbia are old friends, who sometimes have disagreements, but I think it's important never to lose sight of what is the foundation of friendship, which are great people, their work and heritage. They are giants such as Dositej Obradović, Mihajlo Pupin, Borislav Pekić, Jevrem Grujić, Slobodan Jovanović, Miloš Crnjanski, Frances Mekenzi, Lady Pajet, Fick McLean, Timothy John Byford, Nemanja Vidić, Roksanda Ilinčić - they are present in all spheres of life and work, from art and science, to fashion and entertainment. I am confident that on the basis of their work and heritage, we will build the relations between Great Britain and Serbia for the next 180 years and even longer", said Mr. Keefe.
Nela Bojović, Head of Corporate Marketing and Responsibility Sector, greeted the audience on behalf of Mira Petrović, acting Director of the Post of Serbia and stated that, in its unique way, the Post of Serbia contributes to strengthening of diplomatic ties and deepening of a successful cooperation of the two countries by publishing a commemorative philatelic edition in honor of the jubilee.
"This postage stamp and the accompanying exhibition represents an overview of the common history of the two countries, as well as personalities from all areas of social life who have made, by their effort and achievements, the relations between Serbia and Great Britain even richer.Today we are launching a stamp that is a symbol of cooperation, a long rich tradition of bilateral relations between our two countries, and which can also be a symbolic message for stronger relations between the countries, especially in these days of great challenges", concluded Nela Bojović. The central motif on the stamp represents the portraits of Prince Miloš Obrenović and Sir Loyd George Hodges with the Serbian and British newspapers. The motto for the vignette is Serbia today, an article from the South Slavian Journal - London 1912, and the headline of the Illustrated London Newspaper - from 1876, and to the cover it was added the Zigizmund Gece Britannia Pacificatrix mural and the memorials of Dositej Obradović and Miloš Crnjanski in London.