Students from Novi Sad in Corfu – A friendship rooted in history
Students from Novi Sad, Serbia, during their welcome reception at Corfu’s Old Town Hall on Friday, 16 October. Photo: Central Corfu Municipality Press Office
CORFU. Fifty top-performing pupils from Novi Sad, Serbia, visited Corfu and were welcomed at the Old Town Hall as part of the twinning relationship between the two towns. The gathering, which featured songs in both Greek and Serbian, highlighted the historic ties between the two peoples, forged on the island during the First World War.
Around 50 top-performing secondary school pupils from Novi Sad, Serbia, visited the Old Town Hall on Friday, 16 October, as part of an educational trip to the island and the twinning relationship between the two towns.
The pupils and their accompanying teachers were welcomed by Spyros Chalkiopoulos, Deputy Mayor for Sustainable Tourism Development and Public Relations, in the presence of Željko Popović, president of the Greek-Serbian Friendship Association.
Representing the Municipality of Novi Sad, Milan Mihailović, who is responsible for education, conveyed the greetings of Mayor Žarko Mićin and expressed his thanks for the warm welcome.
During the meeting, the pupils performed traditional songs in Greek and Serbian. Spyros Chalkiopoulos spoke about opportunities for educational and cultural cooperation between the two towns, highlighting the importance of involving younger generations. He also noted that Novi Sad was named European Capital of Culture in 2022.
Particular attention was given to the historic ties between Corfu and Serbia, which date back to the First World War, when the island welcomed the Serbian army following its retreat from Serbia in 1916.
According to an announcement by the Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands, the visit forms part of ongoing efforts to maintain ties between Corfu and its twin town of Novi Sad, with an emphasis on educational exchanges and cultural contacts.
ELENI KORONAKI
