Žugić: European values ​​should be built through concrete initiatives and cooperation with citizens

Europe is being built at the local level, and European values ​​should be built through concrete initiatives and cooperation with citizens, was the message delivered today at the Europe Day celebration in Žabljak.

As announced by the "Municipalities for the EU" project team, messages of unity, preservation of identity and the importance of Montenegro's European path were sent during the program that brought together representatives of institutions, the international community, the education sector and citizens.

The Mayor of the Municipality of Žabljak, Radoš Žugić, Director of the Directorate for Preschool and Primary Education at the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, Svetlana Drobnjak, and the Head of the Cooperation Sector at the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, Bernard Brune, spoke about European values, cooperation and the role of local communities in the European integration process.

Mayor Radoš Žugić emphasized the importance of marking Europe Day in local communities and said that European values ​​should be built through concrete initiatives and cooperation with citizens.

"We celebrate Europe Day and with our concrete actions we show that we want to be part of the great European family. Žabljak is today a member of international organizations," said Žugić.

He said that Žabljak has close cooperation with numerous European countries and regions, which shows that they consistently follow the idea of ​​a united Europe.

Director of the Directorate for Preschool and Primary Education at the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, Svetlana Drobnjak, pointed out the role of education in bringing European values ​​closer to young people and strengthening Montenegro's European perspective.

"Education in Montenegro represents the threshold on which the door to Europe rests, whose values ​​we have long not only aspired to, but also belong to. It is a space in which it is confirmed every day that the European process is something that is lived through knowledge, education and joint work," said Drobnjak.

According to her, it is in classrooms that the awareness that community is built through understanding, trust, and a willingness to learn from each other is created and developed.

"It is here, in direct contact between students and teachers, in conversation and exchange, that the European spirit is most clearly formed, the one that connects differences and transforms them into the strength of unity," said Drobnjak.

That is why, as she pointed out, educators are among the most important bearers of European values ​​in society.

"Every day, with their work and dedication, they foster tolerance, solidarity and responsibility, ideas on which the great European family to which we belong and which we proudly step towards is based," said Drobnjak.

Head of the Cooperation Sector at the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, Bernard Brune, emphasized the importance of the partnership between the European Union and local communities in the process of European integration and improving the quality of life of citizens.

"Europe is built at the local level. It is built through better infrastructure, stronger local economies, better quality services and a cleaner environment. This is where the European path becomes real – through cooperation between national institutions, local authorities and communities that brings concrete benefits to citizens," said Brune.

As stated in the statement, the cultural program entitled "Europe - That's Us", prepared by students and teachers of the "17. September" Secondary School, connected the historical identity of Montenegro with its contemporary European path through music and drama.

It is added that the program opened with the performance of the Montenegrin anthem and the EU anthem, followed by the song "Durmitorka" performed by student Milica Aleksić.

"The central part of the program was the dramatic scene "The Long Journey to Europe", which, through a symbolic depiction of the beginning of the 20th century and Montenegro's participation in the international exhibition in London, thematizes Montenegro's long-standing connection with European values ​​and ideas," the statement said.

The project team said that the program ended with the performance of the song "Insieme", which carries a message of togetherness, cooperation, and a shared European future.

As they announced, after the ceremonial part of the program, a visit was organized to the school restaurant "Duga", where the project "Advanced Training - Matching Skills and Local Labor Needs", funded by the EU and the Government of Montenegro, was presented.

The statement states that the Delegation then visited Black Lake in the Durmitor National Park.