On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, on Friday, October 3, 2025, in the Miljenko Dereta Space in Belgrade, this jubilee was solemnly marked and pay tribute to three decades of unwavering commitment to advancing and protecting human rights in Serbia. .
The event opened with welcome addresses from Vesna Petrović, retired professor of law, President of the Management Board and former Executive Director of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, and Sonja Tošković, Executive Director of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights.
The opening was followed by the panel discussion “30 Years of Human Rights Advocacy: Achievements, Current Challenges, and Future Prospects”, featuring:
Founded in 1995 as a civic association dedicated to advancing the theory and practice of human rights, the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights has since evolved into one of Serbia’s leading non-governmental organisations. Over the past three decades, the BCHR has sought to promote respect for the very idea of human rights, to raise public awareness of the importance of issues concerning human rights and individual freedoms, to influence public opinion and to foster a climate in which they are fully recognized.
One of the founders and long-standing Directors of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights was Vojin Dimitrijević, a professor of law, intellectual and distinguished champion of human rights and democracy, whose voice of reason and tolerance inspired all wishing for a better future for our country. In carrying forward the values, ideas, and legacy of Professor Dimitrijević, who passed away on 5 October 2012, the Centre has been guided by his words: “The struggle against the reign of terror must be borne by the brave and the dignified within every community.” (from his book Reign of Terror: An Essay on Human Rights and State Terror).
The recording of the panel discussion can be viewed here (in Serbian):
