On this occasion, Katarina Šarić, Founder and President of the Managing Board of UNRAD, presented the first Ambassador of Universal Values awards, as well as Charters for the Preservation of the Fundamental Unit of Society – the Family, Charters for the Preservation of Tradition, Charters of Nobility, and the Pillar of Society Charter.
This year’s laureates included the company Zepter International, Mama Shelter Belgrade, BAPUSS, Pronatal Clinic, Olivera Olja Jelkić, Maja Kovačević, the Proroković couple, the Ministry for Rural Care, the Municipality of Sremski Karlovci, the Braća Karić Foundation, the Law Life portal for law and business, Welcome To Fun Radio, the pharmaceutical company 4Upharma, as well as distinguished business leaders who promote Universal Values through both their professional and personal engagement.
Through its cultural and artistic program, UNRAD’s Ball of Universal Values at the Ethnographic Museum brought together Jovan Kovačević, the ethno group Na izvoru, Ada Raspor, soloist of the National Theatre in Belgrade Ballet, pianist Natalija Mijailović of the National Theatre, the trio Tre Šeriz, DJ DJ V Butterfly, and Danijela Jonović. Through their artistic expression, the performers reminded those present that closeness to art is an essential component of life, while members of UNRAD’s specialized committees presented the artists with Charters of Light.
Distinguished guests—representatives of the public, private, and civil sectors, as well as members of the international community and media, public figures, and eminent experts—created a space for social dialogue and cohesion, affirming through their presence the importance of the Union embodied in the acronym UNRAD.
UNRAD once again emphasized the importance of altruistic awareness and called for support for young people who have left children’s homes without parental care.
In her address, UNRAD President Katarina Šarić emphasized that Universal Values are not merely words on paper, but a fundamental necessity for the life of all humanity. She noted that the Union was founded to recognize the issues that affect society, with the aim of social contribution and accessibility for all vulnerable groups, by bringing together eminent experts and encouraging social dialogue among representatives of all three sectors.
“Long ago, a remarkably wise person said: ‘He who stands even briefly upon a hill sees more than the one beneath it…’ And tonight, I feel that the Ethnographic Museum is that hill—let us see together, let us see the essence, love for humankind and humanity, the needs of everyone beside and around us, and acknowledge them. Let us abandon the search for the superficial and dive deeper into the essence of our own being, and thus enlightened, offer at least a smile, a hand, a word, support to those who lack it,” said Katarina Šarić, the visionary founder of UNRAD.
“May the word spread and reach all those who need it, and may it live on, in the eternity that transcends us all, immortalized in the Union of unity, immortalized in everything that UNRAD represents,” she concluded.
It is worth recalling that in December UNRAD established specialized committees: Stefan Krkobabić was appointed Head of the Committee for National Development; Katarina Šarić heads the Committee for the Affirmation of Universal Values; Jelena Milićević Proroković leads the Committee for Demographic Renewal; Jelena Ostojić heads the Committee for the Nation’s General Health; Samuilo Petrovski chairs the Committee for Social Dialogue; Tanja Stevanović leads the Committee for Intergenerational Connectivity and Youth; Nedeljko Karakaš serves as Coordinator of the Committee for Intersectoral Cooperation; Tijana Pljakić is responsible for cooperation with the corporate sector; and Ružica Petronijević oversees public relations.
The Union announced project activities for 2026, including initiatives focused on demographic renewal, health and mental prevention, intergenerational connectivity, nurturing a culture of speech and dialogue, and empowering the identity and role of women in society.
