Serbia's oldest science institute Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) marked its 170th anniversary by a ceremony in Belgrade on Saturday.

During over one and a half century of its existence, the SANU has changed several names from the Society of Serbian Letters, the Serbian Learned Society and the Serbian Royal Academy to today's Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Serbian President Boris Tadic stated Saturday that the mission of this institute is not to serve daily policy nor be an arbiter in conflicts of interests which are beyond its domain, but rather to stay what it has been up to now - the most significant science and cultural institution in Serbia.

Tadic underlined that strengthening of Serbia's capacities for joining international science projects and prevention of brain drain need to be one of state priorities and SANU missions.

“We do not want to educate young researchers for others who are wealthier than us, instead we would like to create good working and living conditions and perspective for them so that they could realize their professional goals here and contribute to the advancement of economy, social and cultural life in their own country,” Tadic said.

SANU Chairman Nikola Hajdin said in his welcoming address that every problem faced by the society is at the same time a problem of the SANU, whose approach to these issues should be based solely on scientific facts.

Hajdin underlined that the Academy's main task is to analyze and study educational problems on scientific basis and act in that regard.

Minister of Education and Science Zarko Obradovic said that the science-research activities, along with university education, must initiate overall economic and social changes and reforms in the process of creation of a science-based society.

Today at an extremely complex social moment, Serbia expects from its scientific elite and inventors the right answers, Obradovic said, stressing that the SANU has to be one of the cornerstones of Serbia's economic and social development.

According to him, Serbia has one of the most important resources namely human resources - competent scientists, researchers, experts, and therefore it has to earmark much more funds for science and education.

Minister of Culture, Media and Information Society Predrag Markovic congratulated the SANU on its anniversary, and said that in future SANU will stay conservative, as it should be, but that it will find a way to connect young people and institutions with regard to projects and businesses which have to be completed.

Academics are the heart of the Academy, and we must never forget the people who laid the foundations of our state, sciences and arts, Markovic said, adding that 170 years is such a long tradition that we have to be aware that our responsibility towards the SANU is much bigger than the one it has towards us.

“It is up to us to preserve an institute which such a long tradition since if we fail to do that, we do not deserve anything new,” Markovic said.

The central ceremony marking the Academy's Day was also attended by Serbian Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, Deputy Prime Ministers Bozidar Djelic and Jovan Krkobabic, Patriarch of Serbia Irinej, as well as representatives of religious communities, cultural and science institutes and the diplomatic corps.