On the same day that Joe Biden was motorcading to New York City for fundraisers in Manhattan, the New York Mayor’s office was gearing up for a Serbian flag-raising ceremony celebrating the Serbian-American community in the concrete jungle where dreams are made. It was early morning Monday, February 26, marking the inaugural Serbian Heritage Day proclaimed by Mayor Eric Adams.
New York has conducted over 50 flag raisings for various immigrant communities, and this time it was to celebrate Serbian-Americans who lived in NYC, such as Nikola Tesla, as well as all the immigrant workers from the Serbian community who have arrived in the last 200 years of their history in New York City.
General Consul of Serbia, Vladimir Bozovic, stood in Bowling Green, speaking about a “profound sense of pride” regarding the resilient connection between Serbia and the United States. Bozovic recounted historical moments when Serbia and the US stood together, citing the historic event on July 28th, 1918, when President Woodrow Wilson declared a Day of Prayer for the Serbian People.
On that occasion, Wilson ordered the Serbian flag to fly over the White House in honor of the sacrifice made by the Serbian people and the enduring alliance between the United States and Serbia during the First World War. Then, during World War II, in 1944, brave Serbs in the Pranjani region hid and protected American airmen shot down during their flights targeting Germany’s oil supplies in Romania. “With their help, during Operation Halyard—the biggest rescue operation of its kind in American history—more than 500 American airmen were safely returned,” noted Bozovic.
“Make some noise for Serbia New Yorkers!
Make some noise for Serbian Americans across the country and abroad!”
That’s how Manuel Castro, Commissioner from Mayor Eric Adams’s office of immigrant affairs, opened the ceremony at Bowling Green in downtown Manhattan. Castro thanked the Bowling Green Association for the “wonderful partnership” that allows New Yorkers to celebrate our immigrant communities on such significant ground for the United States.
The significance of the venue in NYC, where the Serbian flag was raised for the first time in Serbia-America’s history, is that George Washington stood at this very location.
“As I always remind everyone, two thirds of those Americans who fought for independence were immigrants,” said Castro.
According to those present from the Mayor’s office, the Serbian flag raising ceremony was one of the best organized ones.
Guests at the ceremony included 30 general consuls from the international community and 20 representatives of the Diplomatic Corps. Also present were representatives of the City of New York, diplomats from the United Nations, and the Serbian Mission to the UN. However, the Serbian Ambassador to the UN, though invited, was notably absent from both the ceremony and the cocktail reception held at the Kimberly Hotel in honor of Serbia’s Statehood Day.
The reception was attended by over 250 guests, including numerous representatives of the City of New York, the New York Chamber of Commerce, the business community, the UN and diplomatic-consular corps, the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the Serbian diaspora.
Consul General Vladimir Božović and Deputy Mayor and City Secretary for International Cooperation Edvard Mermelstein addressed those present. Consul General Vladimir Božović emphasized the historical and symbolic importance of February 15 – Sretenje for the establishment of modern Serbian statehood. He said that marking this day is a tribute to the spirit of freedom and the state-building endeavors of the Serbian people.
Serbian Heritage Day in New York City and the events surrounding it mark a significant turning point in recent history, with the Serbian-American community being celebrated in a positive light, signaling a departure from the shadows of the 1990s wars.
Serbian Heritage Day in New York City heralds the beginning of a new era for Serbian American New Yorkers, fostering stronger bonds among diverse communities thriving together.
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