CROWN PRINCE ALEXANDER II LAID THE FOUNDATION STONE AT ST SAVA COLLEGE SITE

Sydney, November 13, 2005 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine attended today the foundation ceremony for the first school of Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia and Crown Prince Alexander II laid the Foundation Stone. At the site where the first students will start their education at St. Sava College in 2008, Their Royal Highnesses also became the patrons of the school.

His Grace Bishop of Australia and New Zealand Milutin led the dedication service and then together with Crown Prince Alexander II signed a charter which the Prince then put into the foundation to the cheering of several thousands Australian Serbs who gathered to mark the beginning of a new education era in their new homeland and greet the Royal Family.

”Let this college be a point of encounter, place of learning, site of tolerance, respect and human dignity,’’ Crown Prince Alexander II told the gathering and added: ‘’It will not be a ghetto, but place of friendship and tolerance.”

The Hon. Gough Whitlam, former Prime Minister, The Hon. Phillip Ruddock, Attorney General and several parliament members were amongst the Australians who attended the ceremony and highly praised the role of the Australian Serb community and their Church in enriching the country. HE Ambassador of Serbia and Montenegro to Australia Milivoje Glisic as well as the representatives of the Serbian and Greek Orthodox churches in Australia were also present.

Sunday was a birthday of HRH Crown Princess Katherine and, thanking for “Happy birthday” song sang by the gathered people, she said the new school was the best present she could get. “I want to tell you that my husband Prince Alexander and I were very happy to accept to be the patrons of this college.”

Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine then joined people in dancing to the tunes of the King’s kolo, shook hands with hundreds of them, talked to them and signed photographs for them.

Mr. Phillip Benwall, the President of the Australian Monarchist League, later hosted a dinner in honour of Crown Princess Katherine’s birthday. It was also a charity event for her Lifeline humanitarian organisation which will soon open an Australian branch to join already existing offices in the United States, Canada, England, Greece and in Serbia where it is known as The Princess Katherine Foundation.

Their Royal Highnesses will end their 6-day official visit to Australia on Monday.