The Karić Foundation with more than 30 years of engagement in humanitarian work, once again the seventeenth time recognized and awarded the most eminent personalities from the world of culture, art, economy, business, literature and publishing, those who stood out in humanitarian activities, who worked on strengthening peace and cooperation among nations. The „Karić Brothers“ Award Ceremony was held at the National Theater Belgrade, awards were presented to the laureates by family members Dragomir J. Karić and Gordana Karić.
Milanka Karić, founder and honorary president of the Karić Foundation
“Dear friends, tonight we have gathered under the dome of our National Theater to praise and reward the best among the best for the 17th time. This year marks 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War, the Great War, in which Serbia and the Serbian people went through Golgotha and suffered heavy losses. Territorially and demographically endangered, but they saved the country and experienced great glory! We bow deeply to the shadows of our brave and glorious ancestors! Recognition and praise of someone else’s achievement make our award more special and sublime, its significance and need to exist is increasing every year. As in previous years, my thoughts are with my Bogoljub tonight, who is sending his greetings unfortunately from afar, again this year. Let’s send him greetings, too! He always thought that ’the stronger the family, the stronger the state’. He is proud of our large family of laureates who have significantly strengthened Serbia. I am immensely happy that three years ago we entrusted the management of the “Karic Foundation” and the organization of the award ceremony, with trust and joy, to our youngest daughter Danica. Our Dana performs this wonderful but responsible task with love, very conscientiously, responsibly and with lot of dedication.”
The BK Group was a pioneer in the development of private entrepreneurship in the former Soviet Union by founding the first private mixed Yugoslav-Soviet company more than three decades ago. We have witnessed the changes made by the great statesman Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in the development of democracy, freedom, market economy, economic development and the policy of peace and stability. That is why this year, with pride and great gratitude, the “Karic Foundation” award for humanity, strengthening democracy, peace, cooperation and friendship among nations, goes to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, a great statesman and a great friend of Serbia.
Alexander Vasilyevich Chepurin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Serbia
“Dear Karić family, esteemed laureates, brothers and friends, allow me to receive this high award on behalf and in accordance with the order of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin! Let me express my gratitude to the leadership of the “Karic Foundation” for awarding Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for humanitarian work, strengthening cooperation, peace and friendship among nations. It is a high honor and quite an honor for me personally to receive this award. Recognition of the merits of the President of the Russian Federation is a high assessment of his contribution, to the creation of a modern, a bit more just world, to the strengthening of Russian-Serbian friendship, and that may be right because nothing separates Russians and Serbs. This award is, in a sense, a recognition of the course that the Russian leadership is taking in building relations in the world, on the basis of equality and mutual respect, without lines of separation, sanctions and threats, without those who finance revolutions from abroad. The President of the Russian Federation will visit Serbia soon. He will also take part in the military parade, where you will have the opportunity to meet him. As far as I know, it will be the first parade in Belgrade in the last 30 years that will in a way enable Serbs to experience dignity and admiration once again. The award presented by the “Karić Foundation” arrived at the right time like never before. I see it as an expression of the Serbian people’s fellow feelings for Russia and its people. Good relations between Serbia and Russia are the advantage and true capital of our nations, and we should turn it into good economic cooperation and the creation of a just and peaceful Europe from the Atlantic to the Pacific, where nations would live in mutual cooperation and friendship. I wish new great successes to the wonderful Karić Foundation! ”
The Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan for more than two decades, a prominent Azerbaijani writer whose novels, short stories, theater plays and essays have been translated into many world languages, whose scripts were used to make films and plays performed in theaters across Azerbaijan and abroad, Mr. Elchin Ilyas oglu Afandiyev, a great friend of Serbia, is the winner of this year’s Karic Brothers Award for literature and for strengthening friendly and fraternal ties between Serbia and Azerbaijan.
Elchin Ilyas oglu Afandiyev, writer and Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan
“Dear Karić family, I am proud to stand before you today as the winner of this prestigious award. There are thousands of kilometers between Serbia and Azerbaijan, and if one of the Azerbaijani writers was awarded in Serbia, then that fact erases the mentioned distances, and also reminds of the understanding and feelings of the two peoples. Since its inception, literature has always been an ally of good in the fight against evil, so if the works of an Azerbaijani writer are translated into Serbian and are read, and he gets rewarded high recognition in Serbia, then it speaks of the same spiritual values of the two nations. ”
When, as a foreigner, one becomes a football star in a country where football is more than just a game – Brazil, then one has reached the skyline in that sport. Playing for the best club in Serbia – FC Red Star Belgrade, for the best Spanish and the world club – FC Real Madrid, as well as for the seven biggest Brazilian football clubs – Flamengo, Santos, Vasco da Gama and Fluminense, he has achieved a sports career that few footballers from this region can boast. This year’s winner of the “Karić Brothers” Award for outstanding achievements in world sports is Dejan Petković Rambo
Dejan Petković Rambo, football player
“I can say that I am very happy to receive today such a prestigious award in my country next to the recognition I was honored in Brazil, which means that I’m being recognized by my own people. I had the honor to intoduce and convey our culture, family values and history to distant Brazil. And today, in the company of all previous and tonight’s laureates, I experience very emotionally this award for which I thank the Karić family who recognized my merits. ”
From an actor to a producer and a director, a man who pushed the boundaries of Serbian cinematography. The career path of the great film artist, who managed to carry on his shoulders a project that many would be quite scared of in today’s artistic times, two films and three series – “Montevideo, God Bless You!” and “See You in Montevideo”, that brought back beautiful and a bit malancholic film stories into our lives, a reminder of a time when we fought and played for honor, fame and sporting success, and not for money. Actor, director and producer Dragan Bjelogrlić, is this year’s laureate of the “Karić Brothers” Award for culture and art and an exceptional contribution to film art.
Dragan Bjelogrlić, actor, director and film producer
“I feel very good tonight, but also a little confused because I haven’t looked back on my professional work so far. Obviously, someone else did it… By presenting me with this award, I feel as if you have sent me the message that all works related to me have not only value in my profession but one broader value in my people. And for that I am grateful to you from the bottom of my heart, as well as for placing me among the impressive company of artists who received this recognition before me.”
One of the most known figures on the Serbian media market in the last 20 years, the owner and founder of “PINK International”, the largest private television in Serbia, Željko Mitrović, is the winner of the Karic Brothers Award for outstanding achievements in media, television and film production throughout Europe. Had he been born in America or the UK, his creativity could certainly be measured against the achievements of major global media corporations such as CNN, Sky and Russia Today, which have huge financial support from their countries. However, he worked and created in a country where there was neither understanding nor support, but many who were against his vision. That is why his work has a far greater value. Despite all the difficulties, after two decades of work, he can be proud of his media successes and results in Serbia and the region, which can be compared to the achievements of Ted Turner or Rupert Murdoch.
Željko Mitrović, owner of PINK International
“I am especially glad that this award comes from the Foundation whose founders are the originators of all that I’m doing today. I am happy for this recognition but I would be even happier if Bogoljub Karić is here with us, because he is someone who had better TV station than me, someone who has been better in many categories…and I can say that after 20 years in this business. I hope to get another award in the future but in his presence.”
The laureate of the “Karić Brothers” Award 2014 for journalism, publishing and strengthening cultural and spiritual ties between the two fraternal Slavic nations is academician Ivan Alexeyevich Charota, a prominent Belarusian Slavist, literary critic, historian of culture, professor, head of the Chair of Slavic Studies at the Belarus State University in Minsk. Foreign member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, academician of the International Slavic Academy of Sciences, Arts and Education, member of the Association of Writers of Belarus, Russia and Serbia.
His scientific work is especially important in the segment of Slavic literature and culture, inter-Slavic connections, history of Orthodoxy and literary translation, which manifests itself in more than 500 scientific and literary critic works. He especially contributed to the deepening of cultural ties between Serbia and Belarus and to the strengthening of the fraternal alliance of the two Slavic peoples.
Ivan Alexeyevich Charota, academician and foreign member of SANU
“I am Belarus, but I aspire to be recognize as ’Belasrb’! First of all, I thank God for everything and then the Karić brothers as benefactors and the founders of the Karić Foundation, especially thank you to the Honorary Consul of Belarus in Serbia, Dragomir Karić. I also thank H.E. Ambassador Chushev, who drew attention to my littleness. I would also ask God to give the Serbian people all they need to enable them to get out of this crisis situation. May the blessing of God descend on everyone and may all people of good will unite, multiply and come to God. Long live Serbia! ”
As every year, the „Karić Brothers“ Award Ceremony hosted a large number of guests, representatives of the diplomatic corps, of cultural and public life in Serbia. The song from the movie “Montevideo, God Bless You!“ performed by the Vukašin Vujović, soloist of KUD “Gradimir”, triggered special kind of emotions with the audience. Also, it was a special greeting from the creator and founder of the Award Mr. Bogoljub J. Karić, to all friends in Serbia and abroad, especially to the laureates of the “Karić Brothers” 2014 Award.