Interview with Princess Katherine Karadjordjevic

THE BLESSING OF GIVING

HRH Crown Princes Katherine is getting impatient. She wants to see Serbian people and country as soon as possible equal to other European nations and countries. She wants the image of our nation in the eyes of the world to finally become what it really is – the people who are capable, well educated, charming, beautiful and spirited just like everybody else. She wants to see the people who forgot how to smile, to put a smile back on their faces. To see us stop waiting and wake up, and all of us together, united, do something for our future. To stop just talking about our problems, for they will not be solved by themselves – it is a true wish of the “more beautiful” half of the Royal Couple, disclosed in the interview for the “Politika“ on the occasion of forthcoming second anniversary (on 17th July, the Crown Prince’s birthday) of Crown Prince Alexander’s and Crown Princess Katherine’s return to the Fatherland.

The goal of all us is to make our lives better. The Bible says “seek and you shall get”. We should be realistic and everyone of us should ask. But also everyone should do as much as possible in the place where one lives, in one’s job... It seems to me as though each person holds one piece of a puzzle. And instead of putting it together, so that we could get the final picture, something is stopping us from doing so – asks and at the same time gives the answer why that is so, through her own example, Princess Katherine.

Visiting hospitals, schools, institutions for handicapped children and old people, she has noticed a little peculiar characteristic of our people. – Doctors and nurses, who are the true heroes in their work, often suffer together with their patients because they can’t help them. They lack equipment and medicines. And instead of saying what they need, whether because of their pride or something else, they don’t speak about that, but about what they have.

Traveling almost every day and talking to many people during the last two years, Princess Katherine has noticed one more generally accepted attitude. – One can often hear the question why the international community is not with us. But that is not so. I know they want to help. Simply, the problem is in us. We must find ways to show them what we need. We must put it in a “package” and show them what our problems are in a way they understand. Our weaknesses - the lack of organization, marketing, lobbying and communication with the world, is precisely what stops us from developing. Also, our need to be always right, adds with a smile Princess Katherine.

Beside working in humanitarian organization “Lifeline”, that she established in 1993, with its offices in Belgrade, New York, Toronto, Chicago, London and Athens, Princess Katherine is working on another program. – If we can’t bring the world to Serbia, we should get Serbia closer to the world. In every country of the world, a week of Serbia and Montenegro could be organized. One day would be for our culture, tradition and art. The other day, the possibilities of investments would be discussed. Our Ministers would be the guests, and our Ambassadors would help, explains Princess Katherine and emphasizes the willingness of her husband and herself to help as much as possible in this activity. – We have already spoken to our Ambassadors in Greece and Great Britain, but first a committee should be established in order to set the organization of these weeks.

At the end of this interview we ask where her personal motive for constant engagements, organization of humanitarian events, visits to the hospitals and refugee camps lays.

- When I was a child I was brought up with the idea that we are in this world to give to the others. It is a blessing and the happiest people are the ones who give. And I wanted to be happy. When I met my husband I realized that God gave me a sign I was right, says Princess Katherine.

Andrijana Cveticanin