2011

August 6-28

Focus: Culture
The Genius Spark of Nikola Tesla: The Belgrade Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, in collaboration with the Chicago Council on Science and Technology, are pleased to host a travelling exhibit honoring Nikola Tesla. This marks the first time that the Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade, Serbia will exhibit in the United States. Because of Tesla's role in the World's Fair in Chicago, it is only fitting that this exhibit be showcased in this great city. Tesla is responsible for providing electricity for the Columbian Exhibition, the first World's Fair to be illuminated by electricity.

 

2010
May 19

Focus: Sports
The Chicago Fire welcomed Legia Warsaw, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star Belgrade for the first-ever Chicago Sister Cities International Cup at Toyota Park.

June 1-4
Focus: Government
Belgrade delegation made up of Mr. Milan Vukovic, Commissioner, Building & Zoning, City of Belgrade, Ms. Iboja Stojanovic, Deputy Commissioner, Building & Zoning, City of Belgrade, and Mr. Dejan Zivkovic, Advisor to the Mayor, Department Emergency department, in charge of parking services visits Chicago. The majority of the meetings took place with the Department of Building and Department of Zoning and Land Use Planning. 

November 21

Focus: Education
Ogden International School visits Belgrade.

2009
April 24

Focus: Government
The Honorable Radmila Hrustanović, Deputy Mayor of Belgrade visited Chicago to attend the Chicago Global Cities Forum.

May 9-13

Focus: Education
Seven students from William B Ogden Elementary School, ages 12-14 traveled to Belgrade, Serbia for a 10-day educational program in Belgrade and visited Milos Crnjanski Primary School.

May

Focus: Humanitarian
Professional basket ball player and humanitarian Vlade Divac visited Chicago in spring of 2009. Mr. Divac and his wife Ana met with Candice Rosen and toured Prentice Women’s Hospital. Through their own humanitarian foundation, they work with refuges in Serbia and have a deep concern for the well being for mothers and children. This keen interest brought them to Chicago to learn about Women’s Prentice Hospital in Chicago.

June 24-26

Focus: Education
Global Education: Internationalism, International Schools and Student Preparation - An International Forum for Policymakers and Practitioners was hosted by William B. Ogden School at the University of Belgrade in Belgrade. Led by Principal Staral, teachers and school leaders learned effective K-12 strategies and resources for integrating international content across the curriculum, professional development opportunities and resources for teachers to expand their international knowledge and hands-on pedagogy using the city of Belgrade as curriculum. Principal Staral sponsored 15 Chicago teachers and administrators to attend this international conference. The Forum also outlined the steps to becoming a member of the Sister Schools Abroad Program. Also during this visit, the Chicago group visited the American Center and met with representatives in City Hall.

September 30

Focus: Culture
Elan Furs represented Belgrade during the World Fashion Chicago runway show at Millennium Park.

October 26-28

Focus: Government
The Honorable Dragan Djilas, Mayor of Belgrade and Mrs. Iva Pelevic visit Chicago and meet with Mayor Daley.

October 1-4

Focus: Medical
Chicago Sister Cities International, in collaboration with the Belgrade Committee of CSCIP and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, was proud to present the inaugural Chicago Sister Cities Medical Initiative Program. This unique collaboration presented an exceptional opportunity for oncologists from Chicago’s 28 Sister Cities to attend the 11th Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium, a conference that brings approximately 800 clinicians together in Chicago to learn about recent clinical and scientific advances in breast cancer research from international experts.  24 international physicians attended this 3.5 day symposium including Dr. Jasmina Mladenovic from the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia.  

Focus: Culture/Medical
The Committee is working on an exhibit highlighting the work of Nikola Tesla.Nikola Tesla, a scientist and inventor won the bid for illuminating The Chicago World's Fair with his invention - alternating current (AC power). This will mark the first time that the Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade, Serbia will exhibit in the United States. Because of Tesla’s role in the World’s Fair in Chicago, The Belgrade Committee is determined to showcase the exhibit here. The committee is currently looking to partner with a local institution to hosts this exhibit. Belgrade was represented by Dr. Jasmina Mladenov from the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia.

December

Focus: Education
Zeljko Tadic graduates from Loyola.

2008
January

Focus: Education
The Belgrade Committee welcomed Zeljko Tadic, winner of the Loyola University Serbian Scholarship to Chicago.  Tadic will be working on his Master’s degree at Loyola University while working full time at Wiliam B. Ogden School, a partner school in the Sister Cities Abroad Program. The co-chairs for the Education Sub-Committee Edgar Sanchez-Ferrer and Kenneth Staral helped Tadic helped facilitate his stay in Chicago.

August

Focus: Government
Dragan Djilas was elected Mayor of Belgrade. Mayor Djilas has been a member of the Democratic Party (DP) since 2004. He was a member of the DP General and the Executive Committees. In February 2006, Mr. Djilas became the member of the Party Presidency for Belgrade’s district. In June 2006, he was elected President of the DP City Council for Belgrade.

November 9

Focus: Culture
The Committee and Lifeline Humanitarian Organization hosted a special viewing of Tesla’s Letters by Jeffrey Stanley, at the Timeline Theatre. The director and actors were available for question/answer after the show, followed by dessert and coffee reception.

November

Focus: Education
Principal Staral and four administrators visited Belgrade to discuss future ideas in education and the existing partnership.




2007
March 24 - April 2

Focus: Education
Ten children and four adults traveled to Belgrade for an educational exchange. Maja Sucin, a teacher from Milos School in Belgrade worked with Odgen School in Chicago had worked together since an initial trip was taken in October 2006. CSCIP coordinated the contractual signing of the Sister Schools agreement with the Mayor of Belgrade during the week they were in Belgrade.

April 12-16

Focus: Medical
The physician exchange visit from Belgrade brought seven physicians to Chicago. They visited the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, with Dr. Elliott Roth, The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer of Northwestern University with Dr. Steven Rosen, and Prentice Women's Hospital. The purpose of their visit was to establish a sister city relationship with a Chicago hospital in order to improve health care in Serbia. Dr. Ida Jovanovic later appeared on CBS with Susanne LeMignot. Lifeline/Chicago Humanitarian Organization, who organized their visit and hosted a welcome dinner.

July 13

Focus: Culture
The Belgrade Committee and members of the Serbian Unity Congress joined together to host "Belgrade Night in Chicago" at the Chicago Cultural Center.  Over three hundred guests enjoyed Serbian food, drinks, music, and dancing.  The evening showcased the cultural, business and educational initiatives that bridge Chicago and Belgrade, as well as provided networking opportunities with local Serbian organizations.  WBBM Channel 2's Suzanne LeMignot was mistress of ceremonies and covered the event on CBS morning news broadcast

October 7

Focus: Medical
The Committee celebrated the grand opening of the New Prentice Women's Hospital at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Steven Rosen and Candice Rosen, Chair of the Belgrade Committee, invited the CSCIP community to attend a private breakfast and informational gathering, preceding the open house of the new hospital.

October 10

Focus: Government
The Belgrade Committee welcomed the First Lady of Serbia, Mrs. Tatjana Tadić to Chicago. During her four day visit, Mrs. Tadić met Mayor and Mrs. Daley and attended World Fashion Chicago as an honored guest. Mrs. Tadić also visited Belgrade’s sister city school, Ogden Elementary, as well as several hospitals, palliative care programs and the Navy Pier administration.

November 9

Focus: Art
The Committee and Lifeline Humanitarian Organization hosted a special viewing of Tesla’s Letters by Jeffrey Stanley, at the Timeline Theatre. The director and actors were available for question/answer after the show, followed by dessert and coffee.

Focus: General
Dr. Ivan Ciric, member of the Belgrade Committee of the Chicago Sister Cities Program, and his family, donated their family library to Matica Srpska in Novi Sad, Serbia. Matica Srpska is one of the oldest cultural institutions in Serbia. It was established in 1826 to safeguard the Serbian cultural and written heritage. The vast, UNESCO protected library of 700,000 books, contains some of the first Serbian manuscripts dating to the 12th century.

2006
July 4

Focus: Culture
Working with the City of Belgrade, Phil Simmons of American Music Festivals and the Prague Committee, guest conducted a concert celebrating the Sister Cities relationship in Belgrade. This concert was part of the Fourth Belgrade International Cello Fest and was held at City Hall. The program featured American music.

August 15-25

Focus: Culture
Dragan Babovic’s Grand Opening of the Evergreen Belgrade Project featured forty large-scale posters at Daley Plaza, highlighting Chicago’s sister city of Belgrade, Serbia. This photographic project showcased Belgrade as a vibrant European city and recreate its image as a sought-after destination in the global community.

October 7-12

Focus: Education
Both the Dean and Principal of Ogden School in Chicago, went on a preliminary visit to Belgrade in the hopes of making a Sister School connection. Their program included a trip to Belgrade for the children from Chicago in March of 2007.

October 26

Focus: Business
Serbian Unity Congress held a conference with a focus on trade and business in Serbia. Chicago Sister Cities spoke at this conference on the benefits of CSCIP, and presented a letter from Mayor Daley.

October 30

Focus: General
Sister cities worked with Kathy Fanslow, director of the Lifeline Organization in Chicago, to host a delegation from Belgrade. CSCIP set up meetings with Mayor Daley and helped plan the itinerary. The Belgrade Committee also set up a venue for roundtable discussions led by Prince Alexander. The committee took part in a gala dinner as well.

2005
June 7

Focus: Sister Cities Signing Agreement
Mayor Richard M. Daley and Mayor Nenad Bogdanovic of Belgrade signed a Sister Cities agreement in G.A.R. Hall at the Chicago Cultural Center. Mayor Bogdanovic and a delegation of City Councilman were in Chicago as part of the USAID Serbian Local Government Reform Program. Chicago's Serbian-American community played a major role in supporting the relationship. The Soko Folklore Group from Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Church and the Sloboda Choir of St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church performed for the over 200 people in attendance at the signing ceremony.

September 22

Focus: Culture
Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine hosted a dinner at The White Palace in Belgrade on the occasion of the Belgrade-Chicago Sister City Signing. Their Royal Highnesses, his Excellency Ambassador Polt, and Minister Milosavljevic agreed that the cooperation between Belgrade and Chicago excellent opportunity to further improve cooperation in the future.