ITALY : Back On Track Through Long Lasting Friendship

CONTENTS EAGERLY 10 PROGRESS AWAITED BY ALL THE DARK 04 FROM WOOD TO PARADISE H.E. CARLO LO CASCIO, AMBASSADOR OF ITALY TO SERBIA

FEDERICA CATTOI, FIRST SECRETARY, HEAD OF THE CONSULATE, HEAD OF THE MEDIA, POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICER, EMBASSY OF ITALY TO SERBIA

PLAYER IN THE OF THE PAST, 16 STRONG AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR 23 ROOTS WINGS OF THE FUTURE ANNINO DE VENEZIA, GENERAL MANAGER, AUNDE SRB D.O.O

ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION

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ITALY AND SERBIA 24 TOGETHER ON CULTURE

TOP PLAYER IN FRESHCUT SALADS

DOMENICO BATTAGLIOLA, CEO, LA LINEA VERDE

CULTURE

OF 18 HARMONY AESTHETICS AND HEALTH

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LET’S TURN TOWARDS THE GREEN ECONOMY

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EXCITING YEAR AHEAD

VLATKO SEKULOVIĆ, LAW OFFICE SEKULOVIĆ

12 LIVING THE ITALIAN WAY ROBERTO CINCOTTA, DIRECTOR OF THE ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE IN BELGRADE

DR ANA TESIĆ, FOUNDER AND OWNER OF THE APONIA DENTAL CENTRE

EXPERTS IN 20 ALL FORMS OF TRANSPORT

SLOBODAN FILIPOVIĆ, DIRECTOR, EXPRESS SEE

MARINA SCOGNAMIGLIO, DIRECTOR OF THE ITALIAN TRADE AGENCY IN BELGRADE

21 QUALITY IS EVERYTHING

NEDŽAT ŠUNTIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, MIZAN LINE D.O.O.

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ITALIAN AND SERBIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN ROME

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WIND IN THE SAILS OF THE SERBIAN FILM INDUSTRY

ANDREA IERVOLINO, CEO AND FOUNDER OF IERVOLINO ENTERTAINMENT; DRAGAN NIKOLIĆ, CEO OF IERVOLINO STUDIOS D.O.O.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs ART DIRECTOR Branislav Ninković b.ninkovic@aim.rs PHOTOS Zoran Petrović COPY EDITOR Mark Pullen mrpeditorial@mail.com

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PROJECT MANAGERS Biljana Dević b.devic@aim.rs Vesna Vukajlović v.vukajlovic@aim.rs Mihailo Čučković m.cuckovic@aim.rs OFFICE MANAGER Svetlana Petrović s.petrovic@aim.rs FINANCE Dragana Skrobonja finance@aim.rs

Business Partner - Italy 2021

GENERAL MANAGER Maja Vidaković m.vidakovic@aim.rs PUBLISHER Ivan Novčić i.novcic@aim.rs DIRECTOR Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs a.novcic@cordmagazine.com

COOPERATION BETWEEN ITALY AND SERBIA: FRIENDSHIP, TRADITION, INNOVATION

PRINTING Rotografika d.o.o.

Segedinski put 72, Subotica ITALY 2021 Published by: alliance international media Prote Mateje 52, 11111 Belgrade 17, PAK 126909, Serbia Phone: +(381 11) 2450 508 Fascimile: +(381 11) 2450 122 E-mail: office@aim.rs; office@cordmagazine.com

LONG-STANDING 26 TRADITION IN SCIENCE AND RESEARCH SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

FROM ITALY TO 27 SERBIA (WITH SPORT AND LOVE) CHARITY

www.aim.rs; www.cordmagazine.com No 29 ISSN: 2560-4465 All rights reserved alliance international media 2021 The views expressed in this publication are those of the presenter; they do not necessary reflect the view of publications published by alliance international media

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MFA COMMENT

“The intensification of our cooperation appears even more appropriate in light of the important challenges that our countries are facing with the pandemic emergency still underway. Serbia is concretely helping the Balkan region and for this I personally wanted to thank my colleague Selakovic. We then talked about Serbia’s prospects for European integration that Italy supports with firm conviction. We are in fact convinced that Serbia’s future lies in Europe “. “With this goal in mind, I expressed the hope that Belgrade will give a new impetus to the process of reforms necessary to bring the country closer to the European goal”.

Luigi Di Maio, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, after meeting with Nikola Selakovic, Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Rome, 1st April 2021

Business Partner - Italy 2021

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INTERVIEW H.E. CARLO LO CASCIO, AMBASSADOR OF ITALY TO SERBIA

From The Dark Wood

TO PARADISE

Inspired by Dante Alighieri’s verses, in the year of the 700th anniversary of his death, H.E. Ambassador Lo Cascio provides us with insight into his hopes for the future after more than a year of the COVID pandemic.

I

taly and Serbia have proved to be reliable partners even during tough times. Now the time to restart has come: that’s why Italy is “back on track”, together with Serbia - H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio

Your Excellency, how would you summarise the past year in Serbia and the scope of diplomacy under the conditions of the pandemic?

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Business Partner - Italy 2021

- During both last and this year, the pandemic made us realise the very essence of our job. We lived and suffered together with the people of Serbia, we experienced tough times together, almost became one thing together. Then we helped and assisted each other and found common solutions. Cooperation never stopped.

Trade exchanges never disappeared. More than survivors, we are friends whose links were even

fortified by this unprecedented challenge.

In the meantime, Serbia has succeeded in organising one of the world’s fastest vaccination campaigns, as a key tool to exit this crisis.

The effectiveness of Serbia’s organisation is an important step in returning to our common work of high-level contacts in greater security for the benefit of bilateral relations and regional and multilateral cooperation.

TRADE

FCA

INTER-PARTY DIALOGUE

Italian exports to Serbia increased by 3.1% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period of last year

The future of the Kragujevac factory has never been brought into question. I see FCA continuing to operate in Serbia, with possible new inputs

We believe that debate in the Parliament should still be the most suitable way to resolve confrontations in a democratic country

The latestdata arriving fromItalyconfirm that we are heading in the right direction. After so much suffering, there is now a desire to start all over again. We know that it will not be easy, but we must all contribute to the economic recovery and the re-launch of the image of Italy, which has always been synonymous with art, beauty and culture, as well as entrepreneurial dynamism.

Given the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s death, I feel comfortable enough to say that we went together “from the dark wood ” and are hopefully “heading to Paradise”, as he depicts in his masterpiece, the Divine Comedy.

Italy is one of Serbia’s most important economic partners. Was there any interest in strengthening and expanding that economic cooperation during this year of the pandemic?

- Serbia is increasingly becoming an important market for Italian goods. According to international forecasts, Serbia’s economy will continue to grow in the coming years, and therefore it is in our interest to support Italian companies that are looking to Serbia to internationalise their activities, both in terms of exports and foreign direct investments (another success story of the last few years).

Over 1,600 companies with Italian capital currently operate on the Serbian market, 588 of which are subsidiaries, employing about 40,000 people and generating a total turnover of 5.4% of Serbia’s GDP. According to the Serbian national statistics institute, in the first quarter of 2021 bilateral trade has in fact returned to growth, recording an increase of 2.6% compared to the first quarter of 2020, reaching around 927 million euros. Italian exports to Serbia increased by 3.1% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period of last year.

Italy thus confirms itself as Serbia’s second largest trade partner, while also improving its trade surplus, which grew by 8.8%. These are encouraging signs, driven by the excellent performance of the Serbian economy (which the IMF estimates will return to growth by 5% in 2021), that confirm the attractiveness of the Serbian market for Italian operators and

the great opportunities for our companies.

Our economic partnership with Serbia has grown over the years to our mutual satisfaction, and it could now be strengthened while increasingly intense competition exists. As we saw in recent times, other interesting areas for deepening commercial cooperation include infrastructure, the circular and

The fight against corruption and organised crime is the key priority of IPA assistance in the area of rule of law. Around 16 million euros has been mobilised to support Serbia in preventing and fighting corruption and organised crime since 2013 digital economy, innovation and technology, the defence industry etc.

Over the past few months, we’ve heard a renewal of questions regarding the possible fate of Fiat Chrysler in Serbia emanating from within the company. How do you see the future of this major automobile manufacturer’s Kragujevac factory?

- The future of the Kragujevac factory has never been brought into question. I see FCA continuing to operate in Serbia, with possible new inputs.

As an Ambassador, you also maintain regular communication with interlocutors in the Serbian National Assembly. What does parliamentary life there look like to you today, when it has almost no representatives of the opposition?

- We believe that debate in the Parliament should still be the most suitable way to resolve confrontations in a democratic country; for this, we did not consider the electoral boycott as a sustainable method of political engagement. The outcome of the elections in June 2020 gave the country a cohesive Parliament with a vast majority supporting the action of the new government. This circumstance should be considered as a great opportunity to carry out important reforms in the interest of Serbia, allowing progress on EU accession negotiations. The role of the Parliament is fundamental for translating the efforts of the Government, along the path of reforms, into tangible facts.

Are you taking an interest in the resumed inter-party dialogue in Serbia, which is receiving assistance from representatives of the European Parliament; and, if so, what do you expect from those talks?

- We hope that the Inter-Party Dialogue facilitated by the European Parliament will allow the reaching of an agreement on electoral conditions in view of the next elections, so that a larger number of parties will take part in the competition and Serbian citizens will have a wider range of options when casting their votes in the polls.

I am confident that political forces will use the inter-party dialogues to forge as broad a consensus as possible on electoral conditions, whilst also engaging in a transparent, decisive and inclusive discussions on the implementation of the ODIHR’s recommendations.

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which has been subjected to attacks from pro-government tabloids. How do you see the situation when it comes to the state of democracy and freedom of the press in Serbia?

- Dialogue with civil society is crucial to ensure that the reforms approved by Parliament are shared and not divisive within the country.

NGOs and journalists play an important role in any modern society, now more than ever.

We definitely welcome the approval of a new Media strategy. Serbia has a good framework to make quick and decisive progress. Certainly more steps forward need to be taken to ensure a pluralistic media scene and, in the public interest, we hope that a more constructive environment could soon be achieved.

More in general, strengthening of the rule of law, fundamental rights and justice is key for the accession negotiations to take off. It will also be crucial to address these issues by pursuing a genuine dialogue with civil society and journalists’ associations.

The aforementioned European Parliament, with the support of a large majority that included Italian MEPs, adopted a report on Serbia calling for more decisive government action to shed light on scandals linked to corruption and crime. Do you think that such a view of Serbia contributes to the slowdown in the pace of European integration?

- Serbia needs to strengthen the track record of investigations, prosecutions and final convictions in the fight against high level corruption and organised crime. This is important to demonstrate the effectiveness of the rule of law reforms in practical application.

By the way, the fight against corruption and organised crime is the key priority of IPA assistance in the area of rule of law. Around 16 million euros has been mobilised to support Serbia in preventing and fighting corruption and organised crime since 2013. In this field, Italy, also under the guise of multilateral programmes, has a long story of cooperation with Serbia: the Sixth meeting of the National Prosecutors against corruption and organised crime recently took place under the patronage of the OSCE, but the very core cooperation was initially Italian-Serbian.

Having said that, on the one hand, the path

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Dialogue with civil society is crucial to ensure that the reforms approved

by Parliament are shared and not divisive within the country. NGOs and journalists play an important role in any modern society, now more than ever towards EU accession is a merit-based process that’s dependent on concrete results achieved by each candidate country. On the other hand, Member States have to act accordingly by rewarding progress on reforms and advancing negotiations. We are neither looking for shortcuts in the enlargement process nor trying to minimise the importance of reforms. On the contrary, we want to support them through the strong incentive of the European perspective, which has to become more credible and predictable. This is up to both candidate countries and member states.

You’ve expressed support for the media and representatives of the non-governmental sector, especially the Crta organisation,

Despite the past year having been marked by the pandemic, the Italian Embassy and the Italian Cultural Institute continued to promote cooperation in the domain of culture.

Are you satisfied with the public interest in the Hypermodern Dante exhibition, which was arranged to commemorate the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s death?

- We are very satisfied, because despite the pandemic, which inevitably imposed some restrictions in terms of access, the Belgrade public came to visit the exhibition, giving us a signal of their appreciation and real interest, but above all of hope and optimism. Seven centuries after his death, Dante continues to be modern, contemporary and even rather “hypermodern”, and he continues to inspire artists of different sensibilities and techniques, as can be seen at the exhibition.

The work of the Italian “Supreme Poet” shows us the great themes of existence, life, death, pain, love: in short, all the main features and contradictions of the human soul.

Maybe some of the visitors felt supported in their pain, after this tough year of the pandemic, given Dante’s view towards the Paradise that is an “eternal Love that moves the whole sky and all the stars”. The artists of the exhibition were able to translate all of that into powerful and impressive images that I also like would to share with you, looking to the future.

VLATKO SEKULOVIĆ, LAW OFFICE SEKULOVIĆ BUSINESS

Let's Turn Towards The

GREEN ECONOMY Law Office Sekulović, which in the last few years has also focused on developing strategies to attract foreign investors, hopes that economic flows will soon return to normal

T

he new investment cycle aims not only to resolve issues related to climate change, but also to create prospects for new economic development with the aim of reducing uncertainty

COVID-19 has had an extremely negative impact on cross-border investment worldwide. Is recovery on the horizon?

It remains too early to say whether the pandemic has been overcome, con-

sidering the situation in countries like India and Brazil. There are nonetheless reasons for optimism and its seems that there is light at the end of the tunnel. A question remains as to what effects the measures taken by various governments to support the economy and consumer spending will have, while one of the main unknowns is the issue of the appearance of inflation on the global front.

Have you managed to renew negotiations and deals that ground to

a halt when the pandemic began?

Negotiations have been continuing the whole time, albeit at a slower pace due to the impossibility of direct contacts between stakeholders. Due to the pandemic, investors have been more focused on sustaining existing projects than on implementing new ones.

In order to foster new investments there should be a redefining of the system of economic incentives, considering that the measures implemented to date were aimed

primarily at reducing unemployment.

The opening of labour-intensive industrial plants over the past few decades has led to a significant increase in employment levels. In that sense, instruments for stimulating economic development should enable the development of 21st century technologies and the transition to a green economy, with greater added value in final products, which will also mean the proper valuing of local knowhow and expertise.

Business Partner - Italy 2021

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INTERVIEW MARINA SCOGNAMIGLIO, DIRECTOR OF THE ITALIAN TRADE AGENCY IN BELGRADE

Exciting Year

AHEAD

Italy has been Serbia's main trade partner in the last decade, with a high degree of compatibility and proximity, and I have reasons to believe that it will return to that position. Indeed, losses from 2020 are already being compensated for

I

taly was Serbia’s second largest partner in 2020 when it comes to exports and the country’s third largest partner when it comes to imports, after Germany and China. Although these are favourable statistics, it seemed for some time that bilateral trade between our two countries had somewhat lost its momentum.

Here Marina Scognamiglio, Director of the Italian Trade Agency in Belgrade, crunches the numbers and trends for CorD. Which factors influenced such trade dynamics in recent years?

- A recent study confirmed our own research, conducted several years ago: there are around 600 Serbian companies with Italian capital (this number grows up to almost three times if we consider all companies with a share of Italian capital) operating in the country and they form part of the economic backbone of the country, ranging from the financial and banking sectors, to manufacturing, industry and agri-food.Italy remains one of the primary investors in Serbia, with investments ranging from small joint-ventures scattered all across the country – from Vranje to the north of Vojvodina – to huge investments like Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles in Kragujevac.

Last year was unfortunately marked by the COVID pandemic, a factor that cannot be ignored. Resilience and persistence have, however, always characterised the entrepreneurs of both countries and the fall in trade in 2020 is already being compensated for in the first quarter of this year (+2.6% in the trade exchange with Italian exports beyond 3% in the same period). Although the automotive sector remains the single most significant contributor to our bilateral trade, the structure of commerce is very heterogeneous and encompasses nearly all key parts of the Serbian economy. Italy has been Serbia’s main

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trade partner in the last decade, with a high degree of compatibility and proximity, and I have reasons to believe that it will return to that position. According to the latest figures, Italy is still - like in 2020 - Serbia’s second trade partner.

How has COVID19 influenced investment relations? What was the level of investments of Italian companies in 2020, and where did these investments mostly head in terms of sectors?

- I don’t believe that the COVID pandemic caused the cancelling of investments, but it certainly put numerous projects on hold, not just in this country.

Serbia experienced an understandable fall in FDI inflows in 2020, while still performing relatively strongly despite the economic crisis. There are several Italian investments that should unfold this year, bearing in mind the strong government support to the economy and the rapid reaction with the vaccinating of the population and the workforce. Italian investments are announced in the sock manufacturing industry, which represents a workhorse of Italo-Serbian cooperation, as well as in the metal industry, but also in the entertainment, industrial, agri-food and other sectors. This should be an exciting year for our economic relations.

ITA provides information, assistance, consulting, promotion and training to Italian and foreign SMEs. How did your usual line of work change in 2020?

- The pandemic obviously changed the way we work, but not necessarily in a negative way. While physical travelling has been banned or made difficult, the majority of our partners in Italy adjusted quickly: fairs that traditionally host top Italian companies were able to create online events, companies have been very receptive to the concept of online meetings and in a way the whole adjustment was merely accelerated by the constraints imposed by COVID. Our Agency is already deeply orientated towards online services and we haven’t skipped a beat. I believe that the good old-fashioned face-to-face meetings and a physical presence at significant business events will still remain unparalleled in terms of experience, but the truth is that the vast majority of work can be done online just as efficiently as “in person”. In some cases, even more efficiently.

I must say that Serbian companies are showing a great deal of adaptability and willingness to embrace the new trends, which is something that hasn’t been the case in all European countries.

There are projections that Serbia will see robust GDP growth in 2021. What are your estimates when it comes to bilateral trade? Is this growth going to translate into increased export and import opportunities for Italian companies?

- It is very hard to make predictions or projections at this moment, though we are all hoping that the pandemic is slowly passing. As I mentioned earlier, I have no doubt that bilateral trade will blossom once both countries overcome the major consequences of the pandemic and resume a normal working regime. The trade statistics for the first quarter of 2021 are a good indicator of the things to come. Both countries worked really hard to create the best possible business

Italy is one of the first EU countries to devise an Industry 4.0 national framework, while Serbia is already famous for its highly qualified tech staff. But we still have a lot of work ahead of us if this is to become a match made in heaven

conditions, while keeping the pandemic situation under control, with incentives and programmes aimed at resuming normal business activities as soon as possible, and I believe that in the coming period we will be able to reap the fruits of those activities.

The food sector remained strong during the pandemic, but there were no large trade events and fairs, such as the one in Novi Sad that used to be in the focus of Italian companies. Was this lack of face-to-face businesses contacts fully offset by online communication and networking? How does 2021 look to you from that perspective?

- Although the food sector remained strong during the pandemic, the experience of trading using online communications and networking, without face-to-face business contacts, showed the weakness of a lack of personal contacts.

Hence it is my great pleasure to inform you that ITA Belgrade has the opportunity to organise the participation of Italian companies in the 9th Italian exhibition as part of the International Agriculture Fair in Novi Sad. This event will take place from 18th to 24th September 2021.

The pandemic caused a strong push to advance digitalisation and innovation. What kinds of opportunities have these trends created when it comes to our mutual cooperation?

- The ICT sector, as well as innovation and hightech sectors in general, are sectors that we view as having perhaps the greatest potential for collaboration between our countries.

During and after the pandemic, it has just become more visible that there are several other sectors which, in one way or another, rely heavily on digital infrastructure and underlying sophisticated technical solutions: healthcare and medicine, agriculture, industry, renewable energy, industry and so on. Italy is maybe best known for its cars, fashion and gastronomy, but it is also a leader in digital industry and ICT, as well as one of the first EU countries to devise an Industry 4.0 national framework, in order to promote and support fast and modern industrial development. Serbia, on the other hand, is already famous for the availability of highly qualified staff. The number of engineers, technicians and other specialists is sufficient to meet the growing demand of international companies. In theory, this is a match made in heaven, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us to bring together these subjects.

Business Partner - Italy 2021

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INTERVIEW FEDERICA CATTOI, FIRST SECRETARY, HEAD OF THE CONSULATE, HEAD OF THE MEDIA, POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICER, EMBASSY OF ITALY TO SERBIA

Progress Eagerly

AWAITED BY ALL Serbia needs steady progress in the area of the rule of law, both in the interest of its citizens and as a standard asset required to become a full EU member state. If the necessary requirements continue to be fulfilled, I am positive that 2021 will be a better year for Serbia

A

s she comes to the end of her mandate in Serbia, we asked Federica Cattoi, First Secretary and Head of the Consulate, Head of the Media, and Political Affairs Officer at the Embassy of Italy in Belgrade, how she perceives relations between Serbia and Italy. Her answer can be summed up in one sentence: there is an “osmotic process of friendship” in politics, culture and emergency services between the two countries, insists our interlocutor.

One of the last meetings you had in Serbia was with the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Italy. How much can such groups contribute to fostering friendship between the two countries?

- It was an honour to take part in that meeting, as well as many others over these past three and a half years that I’ve spent in Serbia. Participating in a session with the Parliamentary Friendship Group was a chance to get to the heart of democracy in this country, and to feel the connection with Italy from the inside of the National Assembly.

Parliamentary diplomacy consists of a real modality of relations between countries, as meetings between bodies elected by their respective peoples. As for Italy and Serbia, I recall that over the last few years several members of the Italian Parliament have visited the Serbian Assembly under various circumstances, and during all those times I witnessed a tremendously vibrant environment of closeness, as well as the development of reciprocal opportunities.

One of the messages you’ve had for Serbian MPs was that, despite Serbia not having

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opened any chapters last year, it should remain focused on the rule of law, especially in the field of justice, as well as reforms related to these areas. Given the current state of the EU accession process, would you say that 2021 will be a better year in terms of the progress achieved?

- Last year’s combination of events wasn’t favourable to Serbia, given the COVID pandemic.

This crisis was also a circumstance that slowed things down with further developments in methodology on the European side.

Independently, when it comes to how this new European approach will influence the accession process, without also considering the opening of negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, one thing remains clear: Serbia needs steady progress in the area of the rule of law (justice, media, fundamental rights) in the interest of its citizens and as a standard asset required to become a full EU member state.

I don’t think this is all just about European procedures: it is about substance. Serbia has achieved a lot of goals in the last few years, and much progress has been made. If the necessary requirements continue to be fulfilled, I’m positive that 2021 will be a better year for Serbia.

Given your position as the head of the embassy’s press office, how would you describe the current state of media freedom in Serbia and media reforms?

- Much has already been said about the need for Serbia to increase its efforts in the fields of media and freedom of expression. Thanks to the job that I’ve been lucky enough to do during these last few years, I’m able to add some specific aspects.

Having had the chance to talk with many journalists, media representatives and civil society organisations, I realised that Serbia has a history of its school of journalism: this is a legacy that should not be wasted; a professionalism that could contribute to the entire media environment.

Making improvements in the media sector also depends on several elements: it is certainly about reforms, and increasing transparency on media management, but it is not only about procedures. It is also about deepening the political culture on a wider spectrum: curiosity and the attitude of public opinion are important to ensuring a more actively engaged, involved and interested society.

When you look over your time in Serbia, how would you describe the cooperation you’ve had with various Serbian interlocutors and the efforts they’ve exerted in pursuing EU accession?

- Like many of my current colleagues and predecessors here, I experienced very good cooperation with my Serbian counterparts.

Most of the time that commitment was more than about assisting Serbia, rather it was a case of trying to reach a goal together, which is why traditional cooperation here has often been at that very high level of effectiveness.

During these years that I followed Serbia’s process of negotiating to join the European Union, from Belgrade’s perspective, Serbia made progress, and Italy was involved in

Living here in Serbia during the pandemic was the ultimate experience for me, which finally brought us together and now makes it harder for me to leave several bilateral or multilateral (EU/OSCE) projects pertaining to justice, the rule of law and police cooperation.

This commitment shouldn’t stop, but rather should intensify, in order for Serbia to forge a democratic culture aligned with its history, but also with the reforms and changes progressively implemented.

A lot of diplomatic cooperation took place online during the previous period. How did this impact on your work and your professional ambitions, given that this is your last year in Serbia?

- It was very unfortunate indeed to spend this last year mainly with “online” communication.

This was the modality that was exploited everywhere in the world, in order to stay safe and protect others.

Serbia nonetheless demonstrated that it is able to react quickly, with a very well organised vaccination campaign, while “in person” meetings and activities began earlier here compared to most other countries.

Although under unprecedented circumstances, the work level intensified and connections grew stronger. Living here in Serbia during the pandemic was the ultimate experience for me, which finally brought us together and now makes it harder for me to leave.

Which messages did you want to communicate with the general public, and how much you have relied on social networks?

- When the COVID crisis began in Italy, we communicated a lot towards Italian citizens living in Serbia, to Serbian citizens travelling to Italy and everyone interested in frequent movements between Italy and Serbia. Social media helped us to share information faster, thus enabling us to better assist the public.

We then continued in this direction. Consular and visa services never stopped, but we relied on different modalities of assistance according to higher or lower level of contagions in the country, in the best interest of everyone.

We also received messages through the same online modality: the “solidarity concert” of the Novi Sad orchestra for what was happening in Italy, held in April 2020, moved us all.

Much of our communication was therefore focused on thanking the Serbian Government and the whole Serbian population for their assistance and donations, as well as when it was reciprocated with help from the Italian side in the next epidemiological wave.

How have your personal relations with Serbia and Belgrade evolved over time? What would be the best things to remember?

- I was personally caught by the human connection between the Serbian and Italian populations, and by how easy it is to meet and get acquainted. However, this is probably what every Italian feels like in Serbia: that we are at home again. Like we used to say, it’s not that Italian and Serbian cultures are very similar to each other, but rather that there is such a history of closeness between them that it became an “osmotic process of friendship”.

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INTERVIEW ROBERTO CINCOTTA, DIRECTOR OF THE ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE IN BELGRADE

By Sonja Ćirić

Living The

ITALIAN WAY “Thanks to Dante, it is easy for us Italians to promote our culture and our country.

Dante is considered the father of the Italian language, il “Sommo Poeta”, but he also represents the cultural heritage of all humanity” ~ Roberto Cincotta

T

he whole of Italy is this year commemorating the 700th anniversary of the death of the great Dante Alighieri, so it is only natural to talk about this “father” of the Italian language and one of the giants of world literature with Roberto Cincotta, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Belgrade. Numerous programmes have been planned to mark this great jubilee, and - thanks to the Italian Embassy and the Italian Cultural Institute Belgrade will host several of these events.

Last February the Italian Cultural Institute presented the book ‘From the Dark Wood to Paradise. A Journey through Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy in thirty-three languages’, with one of those languages being Serbian, while it was precisely from Belgrade in April that the exhibition ‘Hypermodern Dante.

Illustrations of Dante’s work from around the world, 1983-2021’ set out on its European tour, bound for Athens, Prague, Moscow, Madrid and London.

Why did you choose Belgrade to launch this really unusual presentation of the world of the great Dante?

- I accepted our Ministry’s proposal to host this important exhibition as a sign of attention for Belgrade’s public and because, as you are saying, this exhibition confirms that Dante is always modern, indeed “hypermodern”. I was sure the audience would appreciate it, and in fact some hundred visitors came, despite restrictions on access due to the pandemic.

Celebrations marking the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death, organised by the Italian

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Institute of Culture, started back in February, when you presented the audio-visual book ‘From the Dark Wood to Paradise. A Journey through Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy in thirty-three languages’. What does Dante teach us?

- Dante never stops pushing us to look within ourselves. Describing the faults and merits of humankind, his drives, his reactions, his desperation, but also his aspirations, Dante shows us the right path, warns us against the traps of selfishness, greed, sins and baseness that men are capable of, but at the same time showing us the way to redemption. He first takes us to hell, then creates a glimmer of hope through purgatory to finally reach

heaven. The “Divina Commedia” appears to be a religious poem, but is actually also profoundly secular, because it shows us the pitfalls and, at the same time, the beauty of our earthly life. Dante deals with universal topics through the experience of his own life in the historical period in which he lived.

That’s why Dante is modern; he’s always been modern, in every historical era.

Both the exhibition and the audio-visual book represent a fusion of Dante’s art and our times. At the same time, these projects are also exceptional examples of how today, in this time of the abundance of information, other nations are promoting

their culture and country. Could you please comment?

- Thanks to Dante, it is easy for us Italians to promote our culture and our country.

Dante is considered the father of the Italian language, il “Sommo Poeta”, but he also represents the cultural heritage of all humanity.

The fortune enjoyed by his work throughout the world over the centuries allows us to consider him a splendid example, while simultaneously an instrument of cultural promotion. Through Dante we can talk about Florence, Ravenna, “Dante’s lands”, an extremely attractive part of Italy, rich in monuments, architectural masterpieces, wonderful landscapes, ancient traditions of craftsmanship, agriculture, cuisine, history and fashion. It is also for these reasons that Dante is a formidable ambassador of Italian culture who makes the task of promoting our country easier for us.

Italy is one of the pillars of European and world poetry. However, on the occasion of Poetry Day you decided to present three contemporary poets, even though they are not known to our readers. Why didn’t you opt for classics; is contemporary creativity an easier way to find a common language among nations?

- Contemporary creativity can be an easier way to find a common language among nations. Three young poets were presented to the Serbian public, three Italian women who pursue their own path of poetic research. We wanted to show that even today, especially today, in the complex era in which we live, women and men cannot do without poetry. Is it not Dante who writes in the “Divina Commedia” ‘Consider your seed: you were not made to live like brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge’? The classics are a beacon, helping us to move forward: they have traced a path and stimulate us to understand ourselves and the world around us, they continue to talk to us.

Paying attention to young contemporary poetesses means that the teaching of the classics has not been exhausted and has not been in vain. The classics (which have been, and in some ways still are, modern) are like the foundations of a marvellous building that is constantly being renovated and improved by new generations of poets.

On the YouTube channel produced by the Italian Institute, it is possible to watch the films Family and Gastronomy, which present the secrets of famous Italian cuisine in a very approachable way. How do private life and everyday life connect people?

- Private life and everyday life connect people because they bring us back to reality, to our personal experience and it’s precisely because we know this life well that it emphasises what makes us similar and familiar to each other. It canhelpusbuildbridges,connections,bonds,to forge solidarity. One of the first ways to make friends, to feel similar, is to share a table, to get to know each other and find similarities and references to our own lives. Once again, food

the consistently high numbers of Serbian citizens who attend our language courses and the huge number of students of Italian in Serbian schools and universities.

The success and impact of your institute depends on the readiness of local institutions to cooperate with you. Compared to your colleagues stationed in the region’s other countries, is it harder or easier for you here in Belgrade?

- It is easy for us to promote our language and our culture. It is a source of pride and therefore a great challenge and commitment. Our culture is highly appreciated all over the world, and we are greeted every-

One of the first ways to make friends, to feel similar, is to share a table, to get to know each other and find similarities and references to our own lives brings us closer and makes us feel good. Italian cuisine is simple and tasty. It is appreciated all over the world and makes it easier to make friends and get to know Italy!

Language courses are an important activity for every foreign culture centre.

How would you rate the level interest in the Italian language among Serbian citizens?

- The Italian language is the fourth most studied language in the world. Statistics tell us that the main reason foreigners study our language is because they like it. The Italian language is the expression of a refined culture that aims to live well: living the Italian way is synonymous with enjoying the good things in life. For this reason, interest in our language is also high in Serbia, as shown by

where with a lot of kindness and sympathy.

In Belgrade and throughout Serbia it is even simpler and more beautiful, because we feel the good disposition towards us. All Serbian cultural institutions, both public and private, want to cooperate with us and show us affection and friendship.

Will the Italian Cultural Institute continue programmes commemorating the jubilee of the great Dante until the end of the year?

- Certainly. The Week of the Italian Language of the World, which takes place in October, has Dante Alighieri as its topic this year. We are envisaging a photographic exhibition dedicated to Dante, meetings, conferences, concerts. Follow us through our channels.

You are all invited!

Business Partner - Italy 2021

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BUSINESS

ANDREA IERVOLINO, CEO AND FOUNDER OF IERVOLINO ENTERTAINMENT; DRAGAN NIKOLIĆ, CEO OF IERVOLINO STUDIOS D.O.O.

Wind in the Sails of the

SERBIAN FILM INDUSTRY Company Iervolino Entertainment is building a studio in Serbia for the production of short, animated, web and streaming formats, where 580 professionals will be employed. The company is satisfied with its cooperation with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Serbia, which has, among other things, enabled it to penetrate new markets

Andrea Iervolino

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hen it comes to the future, Iervolino Studios plans to continue supporting the development of animation and film in Serbia through cooperation with the education sector, support for initiatives and projects in the film industry, as well as CSR activities.

Last year proved to be more than successful for you. You recorded growth despite the pandemic that caused tremendous damage to the entertainment industry as a whole. How?

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Andrea: Iervolino Entertainment ended 2020 with revenues that were as much as 51 per cent higher than in the previous year.

At Iervolino Entertainment they believe that they’ll be able to realise their first live event from somewhere in space by the first half of 2023 We owe this success to the fact that our company is focused, among other things, on creating short animated content that is distributed primarily on large streaming

Dragan Nikolić platforms, such as Netflix and Apple TV. Given that platforms of this type experienced a real boom in the year of global isolation, our content also adapted to trends in the entertainment world. Apart from that, at the peak of the pandemic in Serbia, Iervolino Studios was established for the production of animated content.

And there, over the last year, work has been conducted on high quality projects intended for global distribution.

You’re planning to invest at least 8.5 million in IES studio in Serbia, while

plans also include the hiring of 580 professionals. What stage are you now at with this project?

Dragan: The planned investments are much bigger than that. The Memorandum of Understanding signed last year with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Serbia, as well as Memorandum of Cooperation with Miloš Biković’s production company Archangel Digital Studios, envisages an investment of as much as 100 million euros in the production of animated content by Iervolino Entertainment, with the aforementioned 8.5 million to be invested only in its branch in Serbia, i.e. Iervolino Studios. Plans for now also envisage the employing of about 600 people by 2025, though we’re not ruling out the possibility of that figure being even higher. Alongside this, cooperation with the Ministry has also enabled us to penetrate new markets, such as those of Russia and Eastern Europe.

Iervolino Studios now has around a hundred employees from various fields, at two locations - in Belgrade and Novi Sad - while a new wave of hiring staff is currently underway, and I hope we’ll be able to repeat all of that more often.

innovative animated content in this part of the world. The plan is to transfer the complete production process here - from the initial idea, through the strategy and production itself, all the way to finalisation and further distribution. The content created by Iervolino Studios is intended for the world market and distribution on popular

What are your staff working on at present?

Dragan: The main project that the studio’s employees are currently working on is the short animated series “Puffins”. This is also the first time that Serbia’s storyboard artists, 2D and 3D animators, graphic designers and editors have had the opportunity to work on a world-class animated project from their own country, from their own city. The fact that Johnny Depp is also participating in the series, giving his voice to one of the characters, testifies to the kind of project it is. This really represents a strong wind in the sails of local artists and our country’s animation scene and film industry.

Mr Iervolino, is the Earth too restrictive for you? Is that why we have “Space 11”, to cater for the need for film, TV and online content, music and sporting events, recorded in space? Is it possible that we’re at that stage of development?

Your plan is also to produce content worth a billion euros in Serbian cinematography by 2031. For which markets is that content intended? Where will everything be distributed?

Andrea: I’ve stated multiple times that our common goal is to turn Serbia into Hollywood in the domain of producing

Iervolino Studios now has around a hundred employees in Belgrade and Novi Sad, while a new wave of hiring staff is currently underway streaming platforms, and it will be available worldwide. It was while going through this whole process that I realised that the future of film is in the short format - according to some research, 98% of film watching in the next ten years will be via phones and streaming platforms, and there are today more smartphones in the world than there are people. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we’ll no longer work with standard film formats and classic distribution systems - the key is in an intelligent combination of these two approaches.

Miloš Biković’s Archangel Digital Studios is today our strategic partner and we’re looking forward to everything we’ll do together in the future Andrea: Space 11, as a subsidiary of Iervolino Entertainment Group, is the first company dedicated to producing film, TV and online content, but also music and sporting events, that are shot entirely in space, and it originated from the idea of moving entertainment beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, similar to the companies that design accommodation and recreational facilities there. Perhaps the notion of such a project may seem too futuristic or

impractical at the moment, but technological progress is unfolding at such a speed that I believe all this will be achievable in a relatively short period of time. I consider that we’ll be able to realise the first event live, up there somewhere in space, by the first half of 2023.

Iervolino Studios consists of two centres, located in Belgrade and Novi Sad. How is the work organised?

Dragan: Our studio has two branches, located in the city centres of Belgrade and Novi Sad, on an area of 1,500 square metres, while the plan is to also open a new branch with the goal of giving talented people a chance to work throughout Serbia. Our uniquely designed studios, for which everything is designed bespoke and made to measure, are equipped with the latest technology and equipment, which our artists have the opportunity to work on together with top domestic and foreign professionals. Production is conducted equally at both studios, and modern equipment and following trends enable daily connectivity and joint work.

How would you rate your cooperation with Serbian actor Miloš Biković, founder of Belgrade’s Archangel Digital Studios?

Andrea: I met Miloš on the set of a film we were both working on in Rome and even back then I told myself that he was something special, so we stayed in touch.

It was only after I came to Serbia for the first time that I realised he was from here - I’d somehow always connected him with Russia in my mind. In the meantime we’ve become really good friends, we talk a lot about art and film, the past and future of the industry, and how to preserve creativity and originality in these challenging times.

It was actually Miloš who finally convinced me that Serbia should be the place to open a new studio. Through him I also met many other local artists and people from the profession, which led to me gaining great trust in the local art community and recognising its great potential. Archangel Digital Studios is today our strategic partner and we’re looking forward to everything we’ll do together in the future.

Business Partner - Italy 2021

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BUSINESS ANNINO DE VENEZIA, GENERAL MANAGER, AUNDE SRB D.O.O

Strong Player In The

AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR AUNDE Serbia started with upholstery covers for the Fiat 500L, then moved on to the Fiat Ducato and Iveco Daily, quickly adding new customers to their list. About 15,000 seat covers leave the production lines of its plant every single day

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hen it comes to the future, at Aunde Serbia they feel that good possibilities exist to expand their operations and hire more workers: sewing operators, technicians, product quality experts etc. They are also hopeful that the time of COVID is passing.

covers leave the production lines of our plant every day. When it comes to the future, I feel like a good possibility exists for us to expand our operations and hire more workers: sewing operators, technicians, product quality experts etc. The time of COVID is passing, at least we hope so. After this negative event in recent human history, every one of us will be ready to start normal life again. I wish to say “enthusiastic normal life”. The modern economy will restart and AUNDE is ready to be on the front line.

against men, obviously. But we must consider an important aspect of our job: women are more efficient and effective than men. Young men and women have met at our company and married. That’s really nice.

Let me also say that more than 100 children were born in Jagodina whose mums work at AUNDE. We have an

Aunde Srb is known as a good employer. How many employees do you have at present? Is it true that women account for as many as 72 per cent of your staff?

AUNDE has 750 workers. And women represent more than 72%, actually 75%. Just to remind everyone that 50% of the managers at AUNDE are women. That’s nothing

important, positive social impact on the community. I am proud of that.

How many companies do you currently collaborate with; how many models do you produce covers for and do possibilities exist for you to expand your portfolio?

AUNDE Serbia is a strong player in the automotive seat cover sector.

That’s why the EU’s most important OEM’s choose us for their projects.

Stellantis, Mercedes, Iveco, Peg Perego - these represent just a few examples of the names with which we work. A lot of models and variants are produced in our Serbian plant. Just to give you a number: about 15,000 seat

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The modern economy will restart and AUNDE is ready to be on the front line

In your work and the protecting of your employees, did you rely on the experience and knowhow of your colleagues from the company’s headquarters in Italy, which was the hardest hit country at the beginning of the pandemic?

Maintaining operations under the conditions of a pandemic is a major challenge, yet we managed to preserve both our production activities and the health of our employees.

Italians suffered a lot because of the pandemic. I lost my friend and his father. We learnt some important things from that negative experience. I was in constant contact with our headquarters. AUNDE Serbia adopted all the countermeasures proposed by the Serbian Ministry of Health. Moreover, we also implemented some specific measures: plexiglass flags on each sewing machines; single use gloves to wear on the bus; dispensers of antiseptics in all departments; antiseptic cleaner for shoes, and so on.

Our workers are very responsible and they immediately reacted well and used all the procedures and equipment we gave them. We are a big and strong family at AUNDE Serbia!

DOMENICO BATTAGLIOLA, CEO, LA LINEA VERDE

BUSINESS

Top Player in

FRESH-CUT SALADS La Linea Verde Group generated an estimated turnover of 322 million euros in 2020. As a company that boasts 50 years of experience in agriculture and 30 years in the washed salads sector, it manufactures under its own umbrella-brand DimmidiSì and is an important co-packer for major European retailers production site, as well as state-of-the-art fields and greenhouses.

Encompassing a surface area of 5,900 square metres and with a team of 100 employees, La Linea Verde d.o.o. Dobrinci is now the top player in fresh-cut salads in Serbia, while it now aims to become a key partner for Balkan retailers in the offer and enhancement of fresh convenience products.

Here we get the lowdown on how the company implemented its Italian model in Serbia, as well as the key factors behind its success, in conversation with CEO Domenico Battagliola.

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omenico Battagliola is the CEO of La Linea Verde, a group of companies headquartered in Northern Italy and specialised in the production of fresh-cut salads and chilled fresh ready meals. Founded in 1991 by two Italian brothers, Giuseppe and Domenico Battagliola, the group relies on solid family values and represents the commercial evolution of a family agriculture business. With eight production sites (located in Italy, Spain, Serbia and France), and a commercial office in Macedonia, La Linea Verde generated an estimated turnover of 322 million euros in 2020. As a company that boasts 50 years of experience in agriculture and 30 years in the washed salads sector, it manufactures the DimmidiSì (TellmeYes in Italian) brand under its own umbrella and is an important co-packer for major European retailers.

The Group opened its Serbian branch, La Linea Verde d.o.o. Dobrinci, in 2017, in the village of Dobrinci in the municipality of Ruma. The Serbian company is the result of a ten-million-euro investment in a modern and efficient

On the basis of its experience in Europe, La Linea Verde is committed to creating an integrated agricultural supply chain, through loyal partnerships with Serbian farmers.

What is the mission of this project?

- La Linea Verde is implementing a short and integrated supply chain in Serbia, which is supposed to ensure the availability of constant, high-quality raw materials year-round. This is a model that La Linea Verde has already tested successfully elsewhere in Europe.

The relationship between La Linea Verde and its agricultural partners in Italy has become so close that it developed into the the foundation of “Sole e Rugiada”, Organisation of Agricultural Producers, which today gathers together the farms and companies owned by La Linea Verde, as well as another 70 reliable partners, with a total of 2,000 hectares of farmland. Thanks to the constant support of our agronomists, the members of our supply chain have the opportunity to learn the most modern cultivation and fertilisation techniques, increasingly based on the principle of sustainability, in order to produce healthy, high-quality, fresh produce. Farmers are also supported during the certification process,

whereby they get a guarantee for the sale of their produce.

La Linea Verde is a specialist of the socalled “IV gamma (fresh-cut)”. What does this mean exactly?

- In the categorisation of the treatment of fresh fruit and vegetables, the term “IV gamma (fresh-cut)” pertains to fresh, cleaned and washed vegetables that are ready for consumption. It is an agricultural product that is not processed, but only improved, keeping its organoleptic properties. La Linea Verde always seeks to procure good and very fresh raw materials, in order to provide the consumers with a high-quality finished product, because we stand behind the idea that quality comes primarily from the field.

In your opinion, what are the key factors behind the success of the products offered

by La Linea Verde?

- La Linea Verde has never stopped investing and innovating to meet the latest consumer demands. Beyond the freshness of raw materials, the key to our success is the offer of really innovative products of exceptional added-value. In Italy, for example, we were the first company to launch fresh soups in 2006: we created a new market that is today worth 120 million euros, preserving our leadership position throughout the years. And, more recently, we have officially launched a Corporate Social Responsibility Programme to meet the Sustainable Development Goals set out in UN Agenda 2030. Our commitment is focused in particular on the creation of a virtuous agricultural supply chain, the application of good agricultural practises in energy efficiency and water savings, social initiatives and sustainable packaging.

Business Partner - Italy 2021

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BUSINESS

DR ANA TESIĆ, FOUNDER AND OWNER OF THE APONIA DENTAL CENTRE

Harmony Of

AESTHETICS AND HEALTH Everyone employed at the Aponia Dental Centre strives to provide every patient with the aesthetic maximum when resolving their dental issues. A beautiful smile is primarily a healthy smile, but the aesthetic side must never be overlooked. That is the balance.

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male colleagues, I believe that we women are a little more sensitive to the category of beauty, that we attach more importance and pay more attention to it, so everyone at the clinic strives to provide every patient with the aesthetic maximum when resolving their dental issues.

The slogan of our clinic is “harmony of aesthetics and health” and we really endeavour for that to be the case. A beautiful smile is primarily a healthy smile, but the aesthetic side must never be overlooked. That is the balance.

Today’s dental innovations provide the opportunity to achieve wonderful aesthetic results, while the new working techniques we apply at the clinic and the materials we have at our disposal enable us to raise aesthetics to the level of perfection.

oday’s dental innovations provide the opportunity to achieve wonderful aesthetic results, while the new working techniques we apply at the clinic and the materials we have at our disposal enable us to raise aesthetics to the level of perfection - says Dr Tešić with pride There are many dental clinics in Belgrade, but due to some miracle both locals and foreigners know about the Aponia Dental Centre. Is that really a miracle or a matter of something else?

- I believe it is about the quality of work, which is our absolute imperative and is recognised by our patients. When you also endure for many years, as is the case with our clinic, and high quality is what you’re recognisable for, despite many challenges, then you really have the feeling that you are on the right track, in the right place and have the right role.

I believe in hard and dedicated work. I also believe in miracles, of course. One of these is the cognition that I’ve grown to love my job ever more over the course of the years. That feeling is miraculous and represents a rare privilege. I don’t like routine, and that inspires me and motivates me to always be even better.That is also the case for the whole team with whom I’m fortunate enough to collaborate.

Patients feel that.They value that simple dimension of humanity. They value the fact that we talk and listen to them... Fear and ignorance are uncomfortable enemies, but that’s why we’re here, to overcome them together.

Can you briefly explain what it is that sets you apart from the competition?

- Love for the work, as clichéd as that sounds. When you love your job, you are honest in what you do, dedicated and conscious of your responsibilities, but also the trust that others have placed in you.

That’s how one naturally establishes fantastic

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collaboration. I also believe in teamwork, in my colleagues and assistants, in brilliant technicians and associates, and I’ m happy that we somehow found you in that idea of each of us giving our all.

Thirdly, but very importantly: we don’t want any intervention to hurt our patients. Hence the name that we chose - Aponia means “ absence of pain” in ancient Greek.

The health of our teeth should be our number one priority, but we certainly should never forget how important it is for teeth to also be beautiful.

How can that balance be achieved?

- I define myself as an aesthete in all spheres of life. That is often strenuous, but in my work that has given me the great advantage of seeing the “bigger picture”, as well as taking care of every detail, in order to achieve the optimal aesthetic result. Without wanting to generalise or upset my

Dentistry is developing at an incredible speed, which means it isn’t easy to keep pace with the development of technology, techniques, materials, procedures etc. But you and your colleagues from Aponia succeed nonetheless. Are you constantly honing your skills and learning?

- I’m deeply convinced that’s the only way to advance, regardless of the job you do. So, either work properly or don’t work at all. Dentistry is advancing, to our great satisfaction, like many other branches of medicine. Innovations, such as All-on-Four (all teeth supported on four dental implants), cosmetic crowns, dental implants, PRF blood components in dentistry etc., have led to revolutionary advances in resolving even the most complex cases. When the complexity of the intervention requires, we sedate patients so they don’t feel even the slightest discomfort, as well as giving them intravenous vitamin infusions aimed at ensuring their quickest possible recovery.

I’m very proud that we apply all of these new working technologies at our clinic, and we will continue that practise.

Aponia Dental Centre is one of the first clinics to hold a certificate on the quality of services that is used to promote dental tourism, which is issued by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia. We are glad that this kind of support exists and that this huge potential has been recognised and acknowledged.

There is no insoluble dental problem, just new challenges for us doctors, which I think is great. Every true doctor feels jubilation and joy with every new working technique that enables a beautiful and quality life for patients.

Aponia Dental Centre can boast of having a large number of satisfied foreign patients.

Where do most of your international patients come from? How much lower are dental costs in Serbia than in, for example, Italy, Germany, France etc.?

- Patients mostly come to us on the basis of recommendation, regardless of the country they come from, and that is the most beautiful element. When someone brings their friends or parents to you, there’s no greater proof of their trust and gratitude.

When it comes to countries, our foreign patients mostly come from Italy and Switzerland, but also from the other Western European countries, where dental services are really excessively expensive, particularly when it comes to complete oral rehabilitation, the All-on-Four concept, PRF, circular bridges or implants.

Here they have an opportunity to make savings, not only in term of huge monetary savings,

but also in the time invested in dental rehabilitation, which isn’t a fact to be overlooked. The price differences are huge, while the quality is unquestionable. Serbia is recognised as an excellent European school of dentistry, so it is totally understandable that so much interest exists among foreign patients.

While we’re already on the subject of health tourism, can your foreign patients rely on you completely? Are they freed of concerns regarding transportation, accommodation and how to spend their free time between visits to the clinic?

- Precisely. They don’t have to concern themselves with those things. It is up to them to choose the easiest way for them to arrive, then they are awaited and accommodated in apartments in the vicinity of the clinic. We speak Italian and English at the clinic, so language isn’t a barrier, and for other languages we hire translators. We are at the disposal of our foreign patients throughout the entire duration of their stay in Belgrade and are here to provide any kind of assistance. We have understanding for the fact that they come to resolve long-standing, sometimes decades-long problems, with their teeth, so we try to go out of our way to meet their needs.

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BUSINESS SLOBODAN FILIPOVIĆ, DIRECTOR, EXPRESS SEE

Experts In All

FORMS OF TRANSPORT Express SEE d.o.o. is a company that operates on the territory of the Republic of Serbia as part of Italian-based international freight forwarding organisation "ExpressGlobal". Although it has only existed in Belgrade for seven years, it is already known across the entire region as a reliable and desirable logistics partner

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t has a long list of satisfied clients, and an even greater desire for growth and expansion. While the company’s staff take care of the goods, clients can dedicate themselves to their daily obligations.

Are you now raising the bar and setting new demands of yourself and your team?

Express SEE is in a position to be able to respond to the specific and demanding needs of the market, working through all modes of transport (maritime, road, air and rail), as well as providing customs brokerage services for import, export and transit procedures. With our dedicated work, we endeavour to ensure that the quality of our services is always at the highest

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Our focus is always the same: finding the optimal solution for each shipment in terms of costs and transit times level. We encounter various challenges on a daily basis which, to the satisfaction of all participants, we overcome successfully, and the number of our satisfied clients, which grows from day to day, certainly testifies to that.

How difficult is it to respond to each of the many and varied demands and challenges that you face?

The group is currently present on three continents and has a constant tendency to grow and develop. Reg-

Business Partner - Italy 2021

ular and specific requests of clients are a daily occurrence and primarily require knowhow, commitment, experience and speed of response, so it’s by no means easy to respond adequately to all parties. However, it is thanks precisely to our success in overcoming all obstacles that our client portfolio is increasing, which makes us particularly happy because it reassures us that we are on the right track.

From spot business to supply chain management and project management, our focus is always the same: finding the optimal solution for each shipment in terms of costs and transit times. We can state unreservedly that our general and most important aim is to build up the name of Express SEE as being synonymous with reliable logistics partners in the region, as well as to guarantee that a shipment placed in our hands is really safe until the end of its journey.

Do your clients recognise that working with you guarantees the security of their shipment from the moment it is collected until it is delivered to the final recipient’s address?

Alongside the standard criteria related to punctuality and reliability of delivery, which we maintain at a high level, Express SEE also considers it very important to ensure that users of our services

don’t feel discomfort and stress when organising transport and associated logistics operations.

We try to adapt our service to each client individually, because we are aware that not everyone has the same criteria for assessing level of service. We want the users of our services to know that their goods are in safe hands and for them not to worry about those goods during transport.

How did you organise your operations during the pandemic and are the consequences being felt today?

Apart from taking care of our clients, we also take great care of our employees. In order for our employees to be able to do their work unhindered, we provided all the necessary measures for preserving their health in the workplace and beyond. The Corona brought significant changes to us, not only in relation to operations, but also by impacting on people’s lives.

Thanks to exceptional teamwork, mutual support and the understanding of employees, Express SEE achieved excellent results despite all the challenges. The company’s management succeeded in striking a remarkable balance, by pursuing a responsible strategy aimed at preserving the health of employees and the sustainability of operations.

NEDŽAT ŠUNTIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, MIZAN LINE D.O.O. BUSINESS

Quality is

EVERYTHING

In just the decade and a half that it has existed, company Mizan Line has succeeded in building a strong network of partners throughout Serbia, B-H, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, and even the cradle of fashion that is Italy. It views itself as a regional leader in the demanding underwear market and is working meticulously to enhance that position

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e don’t advertise, because we believe that the recommendation of a satisfied customer is the best advert. They often recommend us to their acquaintances, who contact us or come to buy something from our range for themselves and their family - reveals Mr Šuntić You are exerting every effort in the creation of a stable market that has long since extended beyond the borders of our country, such that you’ve reached B-H, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary and even Italy. How did you manage to achieve that?

From the very beginning of dealing with this business, we’ve tried

to be correct, high quality and receptive, which is exactly why we are recognisable on the broader market where we place our products. It is primarily important to us to gain the trust of our clients in our company

Our offer is more than satisfactory, particularly given that we use the highest quality materials to make our products and our products, and it is up to us to justify that trust with our quality and responsible operations. So we can state unreservedly that we’ve

managed to prove ourselves and that we have friends all over Europe, not just in the region.

Judging by the results you’ve achieved and the markets you’ve conquered, have you managed to impose yourself with both the quality of materials and design?

We like to say that our primary goal isn’t profit, although that’s naturally an important item of our everyday operations, but rather that we are focused on our customers, but also the end users of our products. Our openness to suggestions, proposals and advice, but also criticism, is what makes us accessible and direct, so peo-

ple have the freedom to point out our shortcomings, if there are any, but they often recommend us to their acquaintances, who contact us to cooperate or come to our retail outlets to buy something from our range for themselves and their family. That’s actually our best advertisement and we are satisfied with the way everything has functioned so far.

Is it possible to successfully do business without constantly expanding the range and maintaining the quality you’ve already achieved?

We consider that we have enough models and that our offer is more than satisfactory, particularly given that we use the highest quality materials to make our products.

Quality is everything. We are also proud to highlight the fact that we have international certificates, such as OEKO - TEX 100 STANDARD, which confirms that our products are made of natural materials that do not harm the wearer or the environment, or the BSCI Code of Conduct, which ensures high-quality working conditions and safety at work in accordance with the positive law of Serbia, but also of the European Union.

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COOPERATION BETWEEN ITALY AND SERBIA: FRIENDSHIP, TRADITION, INNOVATION

Italian and Serbian

FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN ROME Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, stated at the end of his 1st April meeting in Rome with Serbian counterpart Nikola Selaković that the intensification of (already excellent)cooperation between our two countries appears even more appropriate in light of the important challenges we are facing with the pandemic emergency still underway

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s Minister Di Maio confirmed, “Italy attributes strategic value to cooperation with Belgrade” and “our relations are characterised by very dynamic economic cooperation”. He continued: “in 2020 Italy was ranked as the third supplier country of Serbia and the second importer. This is an important fact that’s also made possible by the presence of more than 600 Italian companies in Serbia, employing about 34,000 people.

“We can therefore already count on a solid partnership, which we aim to strengthen by exploiting the opportunities that will open up in the sectors of telecommunications and the circular economy. We have also agreed with Minister Selaković to intensify cooperation between our ministries on political and security issues, through the signing of a specific Memorandum of Understanding that will allow closer diplomatic cooperation.

“Serbia is tangibly helping the Balkan Region and I personally wanted to thank my colleague Selaković for this. We spoke about Serbia’s prospects of European integration, which Italy supports with firm conviction. We are actually convinced that Serbia’s future lies in Europe.

“With this goal in mind, I expressed the hope that Belgrade will give new impetus to the reform process that’s necessary to bring the country closer to its European goal. We then discussed the Dialogue between Belgrade and Priština, which is

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Business Partner - Italy 2021

a central element of the definitive stabilisation of the region. I reiterated our strong encouragement for both sides to work constructively in the framework of the European Union facilitation promoted

by Special Representative Lajčak.

“This would be an historic result that is within reach of the parties, but achieving this goal requires the utmost commitment on the part of everyone. Italy considers Serbia a key country for the stabilisation

Parliament, “Italy supports the opening of all new negotiating chapters with the EU that Serbia is ready for”.

Speaking to representatives of the Serbian media in Rome, Selaković said that “Italy is the largest country in the EU that has no reservations about supporting Serbia’s path towards European integration”.

The Serbian minister met with the presidents of the House and Senate Foreign Committees, Piero Fassino and Vito Petrocelli,

Serbia is tangibly helping the Balkan Region and I personally wanted to thank my colleague Selaković for this. We spoke about Serbia’s prospects of European integration, which Italy supports with firm conviction. We are actually convinced that Serbia’s future lies in Europe of the Western Balkan region. The constructive approach shown by Belgrade in recent years has allowed us to take important steps forward that we hope will be consolidated in the near future.

As Serbian Foreign Minister Selaković stated on the first day of his visit to Rome, where he also had a series of meetings in

whilst also speaking with members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Montecitorio Palace. Selaković added that the talks “showed, at the same time, full support for the initiatives of the Serbian Government and President Aleksandar Vučić that favour the creation of a common economic market in the Western Balkans, the so-called ‘mini-Schengen’ formula”.

ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION

Roots Of The Past,

WINGS OF THE FUTURE Serbia is an EU membership candidate country and Italy has never failed to support its accession process. In order to raise our already excellent bilateral cooperation to an even higher level, the further integration of the Serbian market into that of Europe is of paramount importance, representing a crucial driver of beneficial internal reforms

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ast year’s outbreak of the pandemic showed once again that a friend in need is a friend indeed, as our peoples provided each other with mutual assistance in overcoming this tragic turn of events. And despite the pandemic, we were still able to organise three high level visits of members of the Italian Government to Belgrade: Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan Scalfarotto and Defence Minister Lorenzo Guerini. Two Serbian Ministers also visited Rome: former Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić and European Integration Minister Jadranka Joksimović.

This year, on 1st April, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selaković met Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio in Rome. One of the key topics on their agenda was how to expand the two countries’ strategic partnership to enable the realising of the full potential of our intertwined economies. In the hope that the epidemiological situation will improve, the two countries have ambitious plans for the coming months that are aimed at further boosting old and solid ties; relations that are rooted in the past, but look boldly to the future: infrastructure projects and transport corridors, energy transition and the green agenda, digitalisation and innovation are just some of the areas where Italy has built up skills and capabilities and is ready to work hand-in-hand with Serbia.

Italy is Serbia’s second largest trade partner and can claim a very large economic presence in the country, with more than 1,600 companies operating in Serbia, around 600 of which form the core of the country’s

Italy is Serbia’s second largest trade partner and can claim a very large economic presence in the country, with more than 1,600 companies operating in Serbia, around 600 of which form the core of the country’s presence, employing approximately 40,000 people presence, employing approximately 40,000 people. Their activities span all sectors: FCA/Stellantis (automotive), Banca Intesa, Unicredit, Generali, Unipol/DDOR Novi Sad (banking & insurance), Ferrero (agri-food), Engineering Software Lab d.o.o (digitalisation).

In addition to these, many Italian SMEs have launched production operations in Serbia and are now present all over the country, from Subotica to Vranje.

The bilateral trade volume ranged from 3.8 to four billion euros in the 2017-2019 period, according to data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. And in 2020, despite the global emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries still achieved bilateral trade worth 3.4 billion euros. Considering the

current circumstances, this was a very good result that once again showed that trade is a pillar of these bilateral relations.

And that’s not all! A positive inversion has already come in the first quarter of 2021: with total trade having reached 927 million euros, with an increase of +2.6% compared to the 903 million euros achieved in Q1 2020.

Serbian exports grew by +2.1% (from €414 to €423 million), while Serbian imports from Italy – i.e. Italian exports – grew by +3.1% (from €489 to €504 million). The trade balance thus favours Italy to the tune of 81.5 million euros. Confidence is high that bilateral trade is set to surge in the coming months, as pandemic constraints gradually ease thanks to the positive impact of the vaccination campaign.

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CULTURE

Italy And Serbia Together

ON CULTURE

Cooperation between Italy and Serbia in the domain of cultural is traditional, intense, and well structured. This is possible thanks to the environment of friendship and the great openness shown by Serbian cultural institutions towards Italy, while it is expressed in all cultural sectors: music (ancient, baroque, classical, jazz, modern), visual arts (painting, sculpture, photography, installations, multimedia), theatre (classical, modern, experimental), general and local history, literature and publishing (fiction, non-fiction, comics, archives), fashion, design, architecture, cuisine, archaeology, science and cinema

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he Italian Cultural Institute (IIC) in Belgrade works with many cultural institutions, both in the capital and other cities and towns across the country, as well as with other European cultural institutes (EUNIC), in order to carry out joint projects that involve Serbian partners.The IIC thus cooperates on a regular basis with universities and schools where Italian is taught (in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Kragujevac). In fact, seminars, workshops, international conferences and many other joint initiatives in the fields of Italian linguistics, literature and essay writing are organised. The Institute also organises language courses at all levels. These are still being held online for now, but it is hoped that in-person teaching be able to resume in autumn.

The pandemic obviously slowed down the organising of cultural events in 2020 and the first part of 2021 (e.g. the “Hypermodern Dante” exhibition), but didn’t grind it to a halt completely. Thanks to the positive evolution of the situation, we hope to resume organising cultural events in a more intense and inclusive way with our loyal public. As early as June, the Italian Cultural Institute will offer concerts in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Subotica, while it will participate in the “Fare Cinema” week that the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs organises all over the world; the IIC will inaugurate the 8th photographic exhibition “La Sicilia, ilsuocuore” (Sicily, his hearth), dedicated to writer Leonardo Sciascia on the centenary of his birth. Italy will also be present at Belgrade’s October Salon.

Following in July will be Design Day, which is set to include the participation of famous Italian

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architect Franco Purini, then Literature Night will be held in Novi Sad in September, with writer Nadia Terranova in attendance, and there is still the Italian-Serbian Film Festival, promoted by Gabriella Carlucci, to come.

Some great events are envisaged for the coming autumn: there’s the 2nd October staging of great Italian opera Madama Butterfly; the

grade Jazz Festival, the Week of Italian Cuisine around the World and, perhaps above all, the 25th November concert of the great Stefano Bollani at Belgrade’s Dom Omladine youth centre. December will see the holding of the event Cinema Italia Oggi, a major film festival being organised jointly by Cinecittà-Istituto Luce and the Yugoslav FIlm Archives Cinematheque,

Some great events are envisaged for the coming autumn: there’s the 2nd October staging of great Italian opera Madama Butterfly; the Week of the Italian Language around the World, which is this year dedicated to Dante Alighieri; the IIC stand at the Belgrade Book Fair, as well as the literary salon where the local public will meet Italian writers and intellectuals, together with Serbian ones Week of the Italian Language around the World, which is this year dedicated to Dante Alighieri; the IIC stand at the Belgrade Book Fair, as well as the literary salon where the local public will meet Italian writers and intellectuals, together with Serbian ones. Then there’s the KRENI project in Niš, Italy’s participation in the Bel-

during which recent Italian film productions will be presented in various Serbian cities. These major events will alternate with many initiatives all over Serbia, not only in Belgrade, to include exhibitions, concerts, literary presentations, conferences and webinars. The IIC hopes that many people will attend.

EXHIBITION

HYPERMODERN

DANTE

The exhibition "Hypermodern Dante", which was inaugurated on 14th April, has just closed in Belgrade and moved on to pastures new.

The exhibition event, which was proposed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and created thanks to cooperation with the Dante Society and the Association of Italianists, was curated by Vincenzo Capalbo and welcomed several hundred visitors in Belgrade, despite restrictions on access due to the pandemic

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hanks to this exhibition, it was possible to tell the story of the wonder and beauty of Italy’s cultural heritage and honour this memory of the country’s SommoPoeta seven hundred years after his death. His Divine Comedy masterpiece is known and famous all over the world. It has been translated into almost all languages, including of course Serbian, and is highly valued and studied. This exhibition could not be lacking in Serbia as a host country, which is a country that has always been attentive and sensitive to the great authors of Italian literature.

The Belgrade stage of the exhibition – which began its tour of six different countries – represented an important opportunity to show the Serbian public some valuable examples of the iconography linked to Dante Alighieri. The exhibition offered a journey into the world of illustrations of Dante’s works and made it possible to admire works by Tom Phillips (London, 1937), a multifaceted artist of precocious versatility; Monika Beisner (Hamburg, 1942), one of the most important and atypical contemporary German illustrators; Mimmo Paladino (Paduli, 1948), who is among the best known and most appreciated Italian artists on the world stage; Emiliano Ponzi (Reggio Emilia, 1978), one of the best known and most appreciated Italian illustrators; Paolo Barbieri (Mantua, 1971), one of the best-known fantasy illustrators at the international level.

Countless celebrations connected to the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death relate to many aspects of art: literature first and foremost, but also music, cinema, theatre and, of course, the visual arts. Dante Alighieri isn’t only an Italian poet by definition, but rather is also one of the founding fathers of the Italian language

The event formed part of commemorations marking the seven hundred anniversary of the death of this great father of the Italian language. Other events marking this great jubilee include envisaged online and faceto-face activities celebrating this writer and poet who contributed to shaping the contours of Italy’s cultural identity and linguistic unity, many centuries before its political unification.

Countless celebrations connected to the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death relate to many aspects of art: literature first and foremost, but also music, cinema, theatre and, of course, the visual arts. Dante Alighieri isn’t only an Italian poet by definition, but rather is also one of the founding fathers of the Italian language; the author of Divine Comedy is the source of one of the most famous, most studied and, let’s face it, most beautiful and admired linguistic codes in the world.

Despite him having lived over seven centuries ago, reading Dante is incredibly understandable to Italians and those who study Italian today, as can be seen by reading Dante’s developed meta-linguistic key of the vernacular [Italian] language in Convivio: “Dicochemanifestamentesipuòvedere come lo latinoaverebbe a pochidato lo suobeneficio, ma lo volgareserviràveramente a molti” [I say that clearly we can see how Latin would have benefited a few, but the vernacular will really serve many]. In difficult times like the one we’re currently experiencing, getting closer to Dante and his work represents a moment of reinvigoration and relief for our soul.

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SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Long-Standing Tradition In

SCIENCE AND RESEARCH The Italian Foreign Ministry has placed a special focus on Science Diplomacy, and its links to industrial application and value-added manufacturing, over the last few years. And both Italy and Serbia have a long-standing tradition in science and research, and they could both benefit greatly from this kind of approach

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cientific cooperation has been a major catalyst in building the special relationship that exists between Italy and Serbia. Every year, on the anniversary of the death of Leonardo Da Vinci (15th April), Italy celebrates “Italian Research Day”, paying tribute to Italian researchers and their contribution to science worldwide.

This year’s 4th edition of Italian Research Day was particularly meaningful, given the current global situation. Economic recovery finally seems to be in sight and Italy firmly believes that, now more than ever, it needs to connect research and technology to industrial application, in order to achieve growth and economic resilience while improving the country’s shock absorption capacity. We all are aware that challenging times are not yet over; that we all need to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for sufficient vaccines worldwide, to reverse the economic downturn and address the employment crisis (which has been shown to impact women and young people more) and social inequalities.

For the 4th edition of Italian Research Day it was decided to build on the expertise of the collaboration between the National Institute for Nuclear Physics and the Southern National Lab in Italy (INFN) and the Vinča Nuclear Research Institute in Serbia, which dates back more than 20 years ago.

A webinar held on 15th April with Italian and Serbian experts focused on the field of applied research to needs-driven applications, as well as science-based innovative solutions to treat cancer.

The timing and progress of basic research differ significantly from those of applied science, but the general expectations are that both

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Business Partner - Italy 2021

Serbia’s Vinča Nuclear Research Institute has been conducting laboratory experiments in Italy, contributing to the development of sophisticated algorithms to improve radiotherapy efficacy in cancer treatment and reduce its side effects will ultimately lead to measurable outcomes in a shorter time than was required in the past.

The National Institute for Nuclear Physics in Italy is actively transferring technologies to the medical sector. For instance, frontier technologies find their applications in the field of medicine, like the proton therapy room to treat ocular cancer and use of the cyclotron accelerator to produce radiopharmaceuticals.

Serbia’s Vinča Nuclear Research Institute has been conducting laboratory experiments in Italy, contributing to the development of

sophisticated algorithms to improve radiotherapy efficacy in cancer treatment and reduce its side effects.

This is just one of many examples of the transfer of state-of-the-art knowhow and technologies that are produced in Italian science labs and exported to industries to improve quality of life. Applications are indeed endless: not only in medicine, but also in environment protection, cultural heritage preservation, ocean protection, space exploration and much more.

BENEFACTION

FROM ITALY TO SERBIA

(with sport and love)

He travelled by bicycle from Florence to Belgrade, to raise funds for the construction of two nursery schools in disadvantaged Serbian areas lacking economic resources. Wolfango Poggi, fundraiser and athlete of the Firenze Triathlon company, set out from the Tuscan capital on 14th May, tasked with the charitable endeavour of pedalling his way to Serbia by 22nd May. The funds he raised were donated to a project of solidarity promoted by the Novak Đoković Foundation.

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ith this initiative, Poggi organised a sporting itinerary and an historic tour that connected his two cities in both physical and symbolic ways: the one where he lives, Florence, and the one he more recently adopted, Belgrade (his wife is Serbian). The journey unfolded over the course of eight stages, covering a total of approximately 1,200 km.

Through the videos and images posted on his website (https://www.bikingwiththewolf. com/) and social networks, it was possible to follow the interactions of this Italian athlete through each city-stage, where he met local representatives, chatted with residents and created “solidarity moments” to share news about the project. The same channels made it possible to donate funds to the relevant project, promoted by the Novak Đoković Foundation https://fundraise.novakdjokovicfoundation.org/fundraiser/3066047 The journey also involved professional and amateur athletes, adults and children, and all those who wanted to join the initiative even for just a single kilometre of cycling and sharing this adventure “for love”.

We wanted to know more about what inspired Poggi to cycle through Italy and the Balkans. Talking with us, he explained that this was not the first time that he’d organised such an initiative. As an athlete, he prepares such commitments very seriously, assisted by professional coaches, but he says that the idea of confronting physical challenges was partly dictated by serious illnesses that have afflicted his friends in recent years.

He therefore strived to combine the sporting element with that of a fundraising activity,

gaining plenty of success in the process, thanks to a large network of relatives, friends and acquaintances who follow him and also find inspiration in what he does.

As Wolfango reveals to CorD: “In 2016 I prepared my first “half Ironman” (1,900-metre swim, 90km bike ride and 21km run, all consecutively) by joining the “Neofiti di Runningzen” project promoted by coach Ignazio Antonacci, and I decided to combine my test with a fundraiser in support of AISM Firenze (Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association) to contribute to improving services provided to MS sufferers.

“I took part in the Florence Marathon in November 2016 with the “Run for Meyer” project, a group of athletes and friends who ran the marathon with the objective of raising funds for the Meyer Children’s Hospital in Florence.”

Finally, in 2018, Wolfango made the very

important decision of signing up for a “full Ironman” race (3,800m swim, 180km bike ride, 42km marathon), and on this occasion funds raised went to the Oncological Institute of Romagna for donations of wigs for women suffering from hair loss due to chemotherapy.

Indeed, his path towards these adventures is also a motivational one. “How many times did it happen to you that you woke up in the morning not wanting to get out of bed and start a new day? How many times has it happened to you that you’ve felt withdrawn, unable to face your fears?” he asks.

But, seriously, let’s just look at those pictures taken as he arrived in Belgrade: he managed to achieve not only a charitable endeavour to help those in need, but also an entire movement of solidarity between various countries, but first and foremost between Italy and Serbia.

Thanks, Wolfango, for sharing!

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