Embassy of the United States Serbia

December 8, 2010

FoNet Photo

On December 8th U.S. Ambassador Mary Burce Warlick visited the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade and spoke at a press conference with Minister of Culture Nebojsa Bradic, Ethnographic Museum Director Vilma Niskanovic, and Ana Danilovic from the Municipality of Stari Grad.  U.S. Embassy Belgrade gave the museum a $65,200 grant to support the replacement of the museum’s roof.   The 75-year old roof is leaking water on to the upper floor of the museum, putting some of the priceless collection at risk of damage.

This grant is from the Department of State’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, which has provided financial support to more than 640 cultural preservation projects in over 100 countries.   Established by the U.S. Congress in 2001, this special fund has given more than US$26 million to help countries around the globe preserve historic sites and manuscripts, museum collections, and traditional forms of music, dance, and language.

In addition to this project, the American Embassy has used these funds to help six other projects in Serbia: restoration of the roof of the St. Ana Roman Catholic Church in Bela Crkva ($44,500 in 2009); restoration of frescoes in Studenica Monastery ($33,900 in 2008); preservation of the Roman amphitheatre at the Viminacium Archeological Site ($31,200 in 2007); restoration of the elementary school or mekhteb adjoining the “Altun Alem” Mosque in Novi Pazar ($35,000 in 2006), renovation of facade of the Memorial School in Orasac ($24,450 in 2005) and reconstruction of the Rakovica Monastery's roof ($17,000 in 2001).

These yearly donations to help preserve Serbian heritage are clear demonstrations of the American people's respect for Serbian culture and of the strong friendship between the Serbian and American peoples.