ELIA Stands in Solidarity with its Members in Serbia

ELIA stands in solidarity with the students, the artistic and academic communities in the Republic of Serbia, who have raised their voices for democracy over the past three months. We reiterate our deep commitment to democratic principles, which include the right to protest, the right to organisational autonomy and to freedom of expression.  

ELIA firmly condemns any type of violence against those who are exercising their right to protest peacefully and is deeply saddened to hear about cases where art students have been attacked as a result. We urge the Serbian Government to find systemic solutions for the issues raised by this student-led movement and to seek a long-term resolution that strengthens the country’s democratic fabric.

The current situation is deeply affecting higher arts education in Serbia. Many students and academic staff are part of the protests. University blockades have halted academic activity across the country, which further evidences the gravity of this moment. We have seen statements of support for the students from several of our member institutions, including; the University of Arts in Belgrade, the Academy of Arts Novi Sad, and the Faculty of Arts at the University of Niš.

In particular, we would like to draw your attention to the petition: ‘Stand with Students in Serbia: End Violence, Help Their Fight’ created by the Forum of the University of Arts in Belgrade. This petition by our Serbian members supports the students’ demands and expresses growing concerns about a series of violent attacks against those protesting. It urgently calls for international support for the student-led protest movement, as is further stressed in this supporting video.