Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine organized today at the Royal Palace a warm reception for 120 children from Tekija, Podvrska and Brza Palanka, flooded areas in the municipality of Kladovo. Before the tour of the Royal Compound, the Royal Couple prepared breakfast for their guests in the dining room of the Royal Palace, and after breakfast and the tour of the Palace, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess presented the gifts to the children that for the occasion were prepared thanks to the donation sent by the Lifeline humanitarian organization Chicago whose patron is Crown Princess Katherine. Among the gifts that the children were given there were backpacks, school supplies, personal hygiene… Exactly two weeks ago the Royal Couple visited the municipality of Kladovo where they delivered humanitarian aid to 74 families in Tekija, Podvrska and Grabovica, and invited the children from the flooded areas to visit the Royal Palace. Today’s visit was made possible thanks to the Mayor of Kladovo, Mr. Radovan Arezina.
Students of the three elementary schools, “Svetozar Radic” form Tekija, “Ljubica Jovanovic Radosavljevic” from Podvrska and “Stefanija Mihajlovic” from Brza Palanka prepared a wonderful gift for the Royal Couple. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess were especially touched by the schools’ lower grades students’ drawings, showing their villages and town during the September floods, as well as a literary composition by a girl, in which she conveyed her feelings on a day when her home and her village were flooded. Crown Prince Alexander said he was very happy that the kids from the municipality of Kladovo gathered today at his home, pointing out that the Royal Palace was not only his house, but the house of the Serbian people. “I am happy that you are here with us today and I am happy to see the smiles on your faces. Two weeks ago we were your guests, we visited your homes and saw the damage your families faced during the September floods. We donated household appliances, food, hygiene products to your families, and for you we prepared modest gifts in the form of school supplies, backpacks, toys. Never forget that my family and my thoughts are constantly with you, and we will try to help you whenever our help is needed” – said the Crown Prince.
Crown Princess Katherine thanked the Mayor of Kladovo Mr. Radovan Arezina, the school principals and teachers for organizing today’s visit, which filled the Royal Palace with smiles and children’s joy. “Many children come to the Palace almost every day. They keep asking me where my crown is, and I tell them that my crown is in my heart, because without love – there is nothing. My Foundation and I work hard to help as many people who have suffered severe damage during this year’s flood as we can, and in doing so we are helped by my Lifeline Humanitarian offices in London, Chicago, New York, Toronto and Athens. I am happy that you are here today, I see the joy on your faces and I would like such smiles to adorn your faces all your life, because that is what all children in Serbia deserve” – said the Crown Princess.
The Mayor of Kladovo Mr. Radovan Arezina expressed gratitude to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess for all the aid provided for his municipality, especially for the families who were directly affected by this year’s floods. “The Royal Couple has demonstrated willingness to help their people in the times when help was most needed. We are very satisfied with the cooperation between the Royal House and Kladovo municipality, because it is more than just successful and fruitful, as evidenced by today’s visit of the Kladovo municipality elementary schools’ students from flooded areas to the Royal Palace”. Beside the Crown Prince and Crown Princess the reception for the children was attended by Mrs. Betty Rumeliotis, the sister of Crown Princess Katherine, who helps a lot in her humanitarian work, Mr. Radovan Arezina, the Mayor of Kladovo, as well as by Mr. Dragan Marinovic, president of the Municipal Assembly Kladovo.
