05.02.2016.
Marking the anniversary of the Military Archive
On the occasion of the Day of the Military Archive and 140 years of its existence, today in the Central Military Club, a ceremony was held, which was attended by State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Nenad Neric, Deputy Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Jovica Draganic, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, numerous associates and friends.The Military Archive holds historical build which is a unique and indispensable source for the study of history of the Serbian people and state. Forty million archival testimonies represent the cultural heritage of national and global importance.
Secretary of State stressed the importance of the Military Archive, the "guardian of tradition of Serbian military history" that is "immeasurable".
- Our task is to find adequate housing for Military Archive in order to preserve archive build as a cultural heritage of extraordinary importance from further deterioration, and your task is to work hard and diligently as you have done so far - said Neric and stated that "we keep our history and we are proud of it."Director Military Archive Colonel Milorad Sekulovic said that this day is marked in memory of 5 February, 1876 when as part of the General Staff, by the Decree of Prince Milan Obrenovic, as a precursor to Military Archive, a special department was formed with the task of writing the history of war, keeping the overall archive and managing the General Staff library.
- In this way, the first institutionalized engagement in military history in the Serbian Army and the first dealing with archival activity in Serbia was established. Respect for tradition and celebration of important jubilees of our glorious history is exactly what should not be ignored and forgotten, because, otherwise, the neglect of one’s own tradition ends up by adopting that of others - said Colonel Sekulovic.
At today's ceremony, the Military Archive was awarded the Military Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to the defence system and the Plaque of the Serbian Armed Forces to commemorate the jubilee - 140 years of work.Colonel Sekulovic was presented with the Military Memorial Medal by State Secretary Neric, and with the Plaque by General Draganic, who congratulated the Military Archive on "140 years of conscientious and responsible work towards its history."
Representative of the Assistant Minister of Defence for Defence Policy Major General Sladjan Djordjevic presented the Plaque of the Ministry of Defence to Milica Bajic Djogo, editor of the educational-scientific program on RTS, for the extraordinary contribution to the successful implementation of joint projects and on the occasion of the anniversary of the Military Archive and a century since the beginning of the Great War.
On the occasion of the anniversary, today premiered the film "140 Years of Military Archive," which was filmed in cooperation with RTS.
