SEVENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL “KING PETER II KARADJORDJEVIC”

Belgrade, 4 April 2003 – TRH Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princes Katherine attended the celebration of the 70th anniversary of elementary school “King Peter II Karadjordjevic” today. As a part of the celebration, table tennis club “Red Star” and Belgrade Table Tennis Association organized “The First Cup of King Peter II”, and then followed a ceremony at Zvezdara Theatre.

Elementary school “Crown Prince Peter” was built in 1931/32, by donations from King Alexander I Karadjordjevic. According to the decision of the Marshall of the Court from 21 March 1935, the school changed its name to “King Peter II Karadjordjevic”. In 1952 its name was changed into “Milica Pavlovic”, and thanks to the effort of all its employees, the school was returned the name “King Peter II Karadjordjevic” by the decision of the Government of Serbia on 6 February this year.

Their Royal Highnesses attended the final table tennis match in the school’s sports hall, where Crown Prince Alexander II addressed the teachers, students, organizers and competitors in the match, saying:

“Sport plays great role in young people’s education and growing up. My sons Princes Peter, Philip and Alexander and myself are great sport fans, and we are very proud of our athletes’ successes in sport competitions all over the world”.

Table tennis tournament “Cup of King Peter II” has charitable character and all the proceeds will be used to reconstruct the school’s building. The best young table tennis players from Serbia and Montenegro and Republika Srpska took part in the tournament, and the medals to the winners were presented by Crown Prince Alexander II.

The organizers of the first “Cup of King Peter II” pointed out their intention to make it a tradition.

TRH Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine then took a tour of the school visited the exhibition of students’ drawings and photographs among which were the ones of the Royal Family of Karadjordjevic.

School principal Mrs Zorana Potkonjak and the Chairman of the School Board Mr. Milan Dunjic thanked Their Royal Highnesses for attending this celebration.

Crown Prince Alexander emphasized he was tremendously proud for the school was bearing the name of his father and once again thanked to everybody for their effort in returning the name to the school.

“It is my firm belief that this extraordinary school will continue its excellent work in educating our young ones who are the future of our country”, said the Crown Prince.

Their Royal Highnesses were then guests at the ceremony in Zvezdara Theatre, on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the school, with special program performed by the present and former students of the school.

The present were addressed by our famous actor Mr. Dragan Bjelogrlic, former student of this school, who evoked his memories of his school days.

Their Royal Highnesses, evidently excited to be surrounded with happy children, spent some time talking to them and talking photographs with them and their teachers.

Accompanying Their Royal Highnesses were the members of the Crown Council Prof. Dr. Dragoljub Kavran, former student of the school, and academician Mr. Dusan Kovacevic, director of Zvezdara Theatre.