Being a Diplomat, what does Public Diplomacy mean to you personally and professionally? How would you describe the concept of Public Diplomacy?

Being a diplomat is of course a great honour for me, because I am representing my country and nation . It goes without saying how big that honour is. In the same time, being  diplomat gets you the opportunity to meet the other states, nations, religions-in my case, I am very much glad to have an opportunity to meet Qatar and the Qatari people.
About the public diplomacy, I believe that the basic concept is how to get you country presented in media and public of the country that you serve in. This is pillar of the diplomacy of the 21. st century. Classic diplomacy will always retain its space and place, but public dimension is becoming ever more important, especially with the modern development of the IT sector, communication technology and social network. Even this interview can be seen as the part of the public diplomacy, right?

In your opinion, how does this concept of Public Diplomacy apply in relation to Qatar?

The public diplomacy contributes to our bilateral relations with the State of Qatar.
More precisely, the public diplomacy contributes to presence of the Republic of Serbia in social media and media in the State of Qatar and the Qatari society, thus enabling the people of Qatar to know more about my country, its people, traditions and habits One of the basic tasks of the diplomat is to make his country visible in the country he or she serves.

How would you describe the current diplomatic relationship between Serbia and Qatar?

They are very stabile and on the safe track. We have good understanding and political dialogue with the State of Qatar. Of course, the covid-19 pandemic has somehow slowed the relations, but we expect them to blossom in the near future. We are pleased with the Al Ula Declarations because we have good relations with all the states in the Gulf, and the relaxation of the regional relations will also contribute to the wellness of Qatar and its nation and residents I regard that the progress can be made in our bilateral relations with the State of Qatar especially in the field of economy and investment.

What would be your recommendations to strengthen this relationship between the two countries, within Public Diplomacy concept?

As I have stated, the Public Diplomacy Concept can contribute to overall relations between our two counries, buy making them more present and visible in the public and media of respected countries and societies. There are various ways how to strengthen the relations in sphere of the Public Diplomacy. I would surely recommend the expers in that field from both states to meet and directly cooperate, for the sake of overall relations and bonds between Serbia and Qatar.

What does global public diplomacy means to you

It is about connecting peoples, states and nations. It is a call for a constant change in the social aspect of the diplomatic cause and it goes along with the advance in high technology and communications. The Public Diplomacy becomes more importance in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of many countries, including Serbian MFA. Of course, culture diplomacy is a part of the public diplomacy concept and its unbreakable part. Media, societies and culture are tightly incorporated in the public diplomacy concept. In global sense, through the public diplomacy the world becomes integrated and more connected.

What is your country’s cultural activities in Qatar?

We are trying to make Serbia more present in Qatar and in the cultural life of Qatar. These activities were more difficult to organize in the current circumstances created by the pandemic, but we will surely increase this field activities when the pandemic is over. I would like to stress that Serbian folklore groups have in last few years successfully participated in Katara, those being “Abrasevic” and “”Dukat Group and it is envisaged to organize the exhibitions and other kind of performances as well.

What do you think of Katara, as a Cultural Village in Qatar?

Katara is a master piece of architecture and a perfect combination of the new technology, urbanism, tradition and nature.  I think it is one of the nicest objects in Qatar and this part of the world and your nation can be proud to have it. As the Cultural Village, it is a centre point for organizing the activities in the field of culture diplomacy, social interaction and connecting different people, nations, their cuisine, traditions, music, dance and culture. For me it was an absolute joy every time when I visited Katara.