The Director of the Regional Center for Underwater Demining and Diver Training (RCUD), Veselin Mijajlović, is the recipient of the prestigious Golden Trident award for achievements in the field of underwater demining.
The Golden Trident Award (Tridente d'Oro) is awarded by the International Academy of Underwater Sciences and Techniques.
As announced by the RCUD, Mijajlović was presented with the prestigious award by the President of the Academy, Paolo Ferraro, in the representative hall of the Palace of the Autonomous Region in Trieste.
In explaining the award, Ferraro stated that Mijajlović is one of the leading experts in the field of underwater demining, with decades of experience in neutralizing explosive devices in waters around the world.
“His work is not only a technical feat, but also an act of altruism and humanity, as it provides a safer life for communities affected by the remnants of war,” Ferraro said.
As he pointed out, Mijalović's dedication to preserving human lives and the safety of sea routes, along with the training of new generations of divers and demining experts, make him not only a hero in his field, but also a true example of humanitarian dedication.
"Thanks to his work, many regions have been freed from the deadly threats of the past, and underwater ecosystems have been protected from destruction," Ferraro added.
The International Academy of Underwater Sciences and Techniques, which was founded in 1960, gathers all the winners of the Golden Trident Award, which is considered the Nobel Prize for underwater activities.
It is the world's largest award for excellence in scientific, research, educational, technical, technological, hyperbaric, informational, artistic and sporting activities.
To date, more than 200 famous people have been awarded the Golden Trident, such as Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Walt Disney, Folco Quilicci, Jacques Piccard, Enzo Mallorca, Prince Albert II of Monaco, as well as numerous lesser-known scientists, researchers, professors and journalists who have distinguished themselves in their sector of work at the international level.
Mijajlović is the initiator of the establishment and director of RCUD from Bijela.
The Government of Montenegro established the Center in 2002, which has become globally known as one of the most authoritative in the field of humanitarian underwater demining.
RCUD said that more than a hundred divers - underwater deminers from Montenegro and other countries, who completed training with Mijajlović to engage in this dangerous, but very humane profession, have demined tens of millions of square meters underwater around the world and removed several hundred tons of various explosive devices left behind after war conflicts.
"This prevented potential accidents and enabled the safe use of water resources, contributing to the preservation of regional and global heritage for future generations," RCUD said.
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