Osvajanje Amerike šarmom i znanjem

Delegacija Srpsko-američke ženske liderske mreže veoma zadovoljna učinkom svojih poseta Njujorku i Vašingtonu
Ženska snaga Srbije: delegacija liderki sa Rozmeri Dikarlo u UN

Na ovo hipotetičko pitanje praktičan odgovor u proteklih šest dana pružila je jedna delegacija iz Beograda koja je Ameriku osvajala – šarmom i znanjem. Od prošlog petka do juče, prvo u Njujorku, a potom u Vašingtonu, boravio je 20-očlani tim Srpsko-američke ženske liderske mreže , čiju kvalifikovanost niko ne može da dovede u pitanje: njegove članice odabrane su pre svega po kriterijumima akademskim kvalifikacija i profesionalnih postignuća.

Početna ideja je bila da Srbija ima izuzetne žene, sa izuzetnim kapacitetima koji nisu dovoljno iskorišćeni. Pošli smo od toga da to treba da se promeni i da njihova uloga u kreiranju budućnosti Srbije bude veća. Ovo je objašnjenje projekta koji nam je dala Mirjana Samardžija, predsednica Kongresa srpskog ujedinjenja (KSU), glavne organizacije srpske dijaspore u SAD, koja je, sa istoimenom sestrinskom nevladinom organizacijom u Beogradu, glavni promotor ove mreže liderki Srbije i Amerike.

Kao finansijski pokrovitelj ideju je podržao i USIAD, američka agencija za međunarodnu pomoć, odobrivši dosad najveći projektni fond jednom nevladinom telu. U mreži je trenutno oko sto žena iz Srbije, liderki iz raznovrsnih profesionalnih oblasti, što je preslikano i na sastav delegacije u kojoj su četiri poslanice Skupštine Srbije, dve žene koje su istaknute pripadnice romske etničke zajednice, šefice regulatornih tela i druge, sve nominovane od svojih institucija i organizacija.

Smatramo da su Srbija i SAD istorijski prijatelji i verujemo da su žene ta snaga koja te odnose može da vrati na nekadašnji nivo, smatra Slavka Drašković, predsednice beogradskog ogranka KSU.

Kao dokaz da je ova optimistička procena i realna, navodi da nijedna američka liderka, sa kojom se ovde srela delegacija iz Srbije, nije odbila poziv da postane članica Srpsko-američke ženske liderske mreže.

Nataša Vučković, poslanica, članica Odbora za inostrane poslove i Odbora za evropske integracije Skupštine Srbije, kaže da je simbolično što je poseta ostvarena u vreme kada Srbija i SAD obeležavaju 130 godina međusobnih odnosa. Ovo je jedna dobra inicijativa koja će se razvijati, a verujem da su naš boravak ovde i mnogobrojni susreti koje smo imali doprineli boljem međusobnom upoznavanju.

Za Zoranu Marković, direktorku Agencije za borbu protiv korupcije, koja je takođe u ovoj delegaciji, ovo je neka vrsta javne diplomatije, što kod nas dosad nije bilo dovoljno niti razvijeno niti korišćeno. Predrasude o nama najbolje menjaju susreti i lična poznanstva, sve je drugačije u neposrednim kontaktima. Meni je bilo drago da pokažem šta se sve u Srbiji promenilo u poslednjih nekoliko godina.

U zaista bogatom programu, liderke iz Srbije su se srele sa širokim spektrom svojih američkih koleginica – od Rozmari Dikarlo, ambasadorke, zamenika šefa američke misije u UN, do Nensi Pelozi, donedavne predsedavajuće Predstavničkog doma Kongresa.

Delegacija, odnosno pojedine njene članice, primljene su i u Svetskoj banci, Vilson centru, Nacionalnoj akademiji nauka, Helsinškoj komisiji za ljudska prava, Centru za transatlantske odnose… Delegacija je sagovornike impresionirala u svakom pogledu i ja sam veoma ponosna zbog toga, zaključuje Mirjana Samardžija.

Milan Mišić

Women Leaders’ Delegation with US Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Rosemary DiCarlo (8th from the right)

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Delegation of Women Leaders from Serbia Shines in Washington and New York   October 19th a delegation of Serbia’s representatives of the Serbian American Women’s Leadership Network arrived in the US for a 9 day whirlwind visit of meetings with leading women and major institutions in their respective professions in New York and Washington, DC. This impressive group of 16 women impressed all with whom they met and became a powerful ambassadorial force and example of public diplomacy.  They are the who’s who of Serbia’s women — accomplished, substantive and constructive. They were walking advertisements of the best of Serbia. See list of delegates The Serbian American Women’s Leadership Network project, SAWLN or the Network, is a Serbian Unity Congress project with grant support from USAID.  It was created to build a women’s leadership corps in Serbia that will develop closer ties among Serbia’s women leaders and their American counterparts and enable them to become a leading force for Serbia’s development and growth, more rapid democratization and preparation for entry into the EU.    Women leaders presented Serbia’s new image Members of the delegation represented numerous professional fields.  Included were three members of Serbia’s Parliament, 2 members of the Vojvodina Parliament and officers of political parties.  Two of the delegates were Serbia’s leading officials in science policy. The financial sector, academia and media were also represented.  The delegation also reflected Serbia’s ethnic diversity. See delegate list.  Members included a number of Serbia’s ethnic communities in addition to Serbian — Roma, Slovak and Hungarian. The meetings were designed to open doors for our delegates to various professional associations and institutions in their respective fields and facilitate the establishment of new relationships and open the door to future cooperation.  American counterparts were invited to join the network and the receptivity was excellent. Read more.  Meetings List Delegation at the Emily’s List in Washington DC Second from right, Dr. Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, second from left Amy Dacy, Executive Director, Emily’s List The visit of President of Serbia’s Parliament, Dr. Slavica Djukic Dejanovic to Washington DC coincided with the delegation’s visit and she joined the delegation at a number of their meetings.  The visit included a briefing in Congress by Dr. Djukic Dejanovic and MP Natasa Vuckovic with the assistance of the offices of Congressman Dan Burton, Co-Chair of the Serbian American Congressional Caucus. This is a project of the Serbian Unity Congress. Resources for the project include a USAID grant and financial and in-kind support from Serbian Unity Congress-US and Serbian Unity Congress – Serbia.  It reflects our organization’s mission to engage the Serbian Diaspora in contributing to the betterment of our Homeland’s future.  Enhancing women’s leadership in that future will advance its progress. It also advances our goal to contributing to the the strengthening of US-Serbia relations. See a more detailed report on the delegation’s visit.