Today, Administrator Samantha Power arrived in Belgrade for the start of a week-long visit to Serbia and Kosovo. Administrator Power began her visit by paying her respects at the memorial at the Vladislav Ribnikar School for the eight children and school security guard who were killed there in the May 3 shooting.
In her first public engagement, the Administrator met with wheelchair basketball players and joined them in a basketball game alongside former NBA star Vlade Divac. The Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation is a long-standing partner of USAID, and works to support persons with disabilities, promote small and medium sized business growth, nurture a culture of domestic philanthropy, and foster youth reconciliation.
Following the game, Administrator Power, U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill, Divac, a selection of players, and local business owners who work with Serbians with disabilities discussed the challenges persons with disabilities continue to confront in Serbia and how USAID is helping expand available career and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The Administrator concluded her day with a conversation with investigative journalists in Serbia, where they discussed the difficult landscape journalists currently face while reporting in the public interest. Administrator Power underscored that USAID recognizes the vital importance of journalism, and especially investigative journalism, for uncovering corruption, keeping citizens informed, and strengthening democratic governance. The Administrator and the journalists also discussed USAID's efforts to help media organizations in Serbia and the Western Balkans more broadly establish sustainable business models and reach new audiences. Administrator Power noted that USAID, together with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, recently launched Reporters Shield, a program focused on protecting journalists around the world from frivolous defamation lawsuits and legal threats aimed at impeding their ability to report on matters of public consequence.
