“VESTI”, 11 January 2004

PRINCESS KATHERINE KARADJORDJEVIC

CHILDREN ARE OUR JOY

MY WEEK

I am very happy that our sons Peter, Philip and Alexander, my father Robert and Peter’s friends Emerald and Alex came to Belgrade for Christmas. I thank God that together with our children, in the atmosphere of love and harmony, we celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ, that we gathered around the yule log. According to the ancient Serbian tradition, it was lit by the host, my husband Alexander, who then prayed for the God’s blessing, not only for our family, but for our entire people.

I am happy that we all together attended the midnight liturgy at St. Michael’s Church and prayed to God, and we greeted the well-wisher in our home on Christmas morning, for I was born and raised in a traditional Greek family myself, with a lot of love. I also thank God that this year too, for the most joyous Christian holiday we gave presents to the children without parental care, children in hospitals, refugee children...for they are my first care, I have always loved children.

Children are the future of our country and it is very important that while they are growing up they feel the warmth of the family home, love, care and attention of their close ones. To enjoy the festive atmosphere of the holiday. Our hearts and our home are always open for them. We always try to bring joy to them. Traveling throughout Serbia, since 1991, I have seen too many times that our people, especially our children do not have adequate health care. There is not enough medical equipment and medicines and that is why for more than ten years now I have dedicated myself to humanitarian work entirely. I always try to help as much as I can to all endangered. Since children are our greatest wealth and our greatest joy, and at the same time the most endangered group, I direct all my charity activities to them first, then to the old. New year has started and I already think and worry how to rally funds to help hospitals and health centers to get medical equipment, how to get new incubators for the maternity wards, medicines, food for babies... One can’t sit with one’s arms crossed, for we are here to give and to take care of our people, who always come first for us.