Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts Marks Its Academy Day
A ceremony to honour the Day of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts was held on Wednesday, 19 November, at the SASA Grand Hall.
In his welcome speech, Academician Zoran Knežević, SASA President, spoke about the history of the SASA Library, underscoring that it has been contributing to the work of the Academy and its members for a full 184 years, keeping the existing traditions and launching new ones, which form a basis for a faster and more successful achievement of exceptional results in science and arts. The president reflected on the position and role of national academies in the 21st century, particularly in light of contemporary scientific and cultural, as well as major societal and geopolitical changes and processes which have been taking place across the globe. He said, ‘The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts is a public institution embedded in the consciousness of the people, their spirit, tradition and culture, and as such, it operates within a specific social environment, shaping and influencing it in line with its legal and statutory responsibilities and within the scope of its capacities.
When I say this, I bear in mind the fact that the situation in Serbian society continues to be complex and fraught with unresolved problems, whose solution in forms of binding concepts and quick fixes is often sought after from the Academy. Without getting into somewhat dubious nature of such requests or into the question of whether they fall within the Academy’s jurisdiction and competence to fulfill them rationally and adequately, I believe that we can agree that it is the Academy’s duty to monitor developments in society, recognize issues to which it can meaningfully contribute through its expertise, and, when it considers it necessary and useful, to respond thoughtfully, with measure and a sense of the right moment.
At the event, the SASA Medal was presented to this year’s laureates – Academician Nikola Konjević in the field of natural and technical sciences and Academician Tibor Varadi in the field of social sciences and humanities.
Speaking about the extensive and fruitful opus of this year’s laureate in the field of natural sciences, Academician Zoran Popović, SASA Vice-President, emphasised that Academician Konjević has been recognised for his long-term scientific work in the fields of physics and spectroscopy of low-temperature gaseous plasma, which focuses on the development of spectral methods.
In the statement of the SASA Medal Awarding Panel, it was noted that the results of his research have been applied in spectroscopic methods based on the profiles of spectral lines of hydrogen and non-hydrogen atoms and ions in plasma. They have found their application in numerous laboratories worldwide, where they are used for testing and refining theories, as well as enhancing gaseous plasma diagnostics in laboratories, industry, and particularly in astrophysics. Furthermore, Academician Konjević was the first to start working with lasers, several years after they had been discovered, using them for plasma diagnostics. He authored the first textbook on lasers and was the first educator in this field.
While accepting the award, Academician Nikola Konjević stated that he considers the recognition the crown of his 20-year-long membership of the Academy and expressed his gratitude to his associates, with whom he has managed to accomplish world-class results in rough conditions, and to establish the now internationally recognised Belgrade School of Spectroscopy.
Introducing the extensive scholarly and professional work of Academician Tibor Varadi, Academician Nebojša Lalić, SASA Secretary General, noted his world-recognised contributions in the field of international commercial arbitration, verified by the corresponding textbook, which already has seven editions and is used on five continents. The Secretary General of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts also underlined that the SASA Medal Award Committee maintained that Academician Varadi has significantly contributed to law practice language considerations, which resulted in a highly regarded international monograph, papers published in international journals and, most recently, his work featured in the Cambridge Compendium of International Commercial and Investment Arbitration (2023). Academician Varadi’s participation in a great number of international arbitrations, including those in which he represented entities from Serbia, as well as the state of Serbia before the International Court of Justice, was particularly highlighted. Academician Varadi has also lectured as a visiting professor at a significant number of leading world universities.
Academician Varadi expressed his gratitude for the honour, noting that the SASA Medal holds a special place among his achievements. He stated that Academy Day serves as both an incentive and an inspiration, as the Academy has been a forum for reflection for nearly two centuries. He added that he sincerely believes SASA will continue to safeguard the principles of law and provide space for profound thought.
In the literary segment of the ceremony, Dušan Kovačević presented his essay ‘The Library of My Youth’ and read a selection of his poems. The artistic part of the programme featured Academician Vlastimir Trajković’s ‘Ballad for Solo Guitar’, Op. 13’ (1983); a selection of five pieces from Academician Dejan Despić’s ‘Nine Pieces for Solo Clarinet’, Op. 62 (1976); and Academician Isidor Žebeljan’s ‘Polomka Quartet’ (2009/2011).