Media in the entity of Republika Srpska (RS), as well as in the region, published news a few days ago that the former president of RS Milorad Dodik was invited to the traditional National Prayer breakfast in Washington.
“Great honor for Dodik: Received an invitation to Trump’s prayer breakfast”, “Dodik invited to breakfast with Trump: ‘As the president of the party, I have an obligation to be there…'”, are just some of the headlines that appeared in the media.
US President Donald Trump does not issue invitations to the Prayer breakfast, as it is not an official event of his administration and the White House. Nor is it a breakfast solely with Trump. Usually, there are about 3,500 guests, including international guests from over 100 countries.
While Dodik will attend the Prayer breakfast, the president of the Parliament of Montenegro, Andrija Mandić, will not go due to other obligations, even though he received an invitation.
From media reports, it can be read that several invitations arrived in Montenegro: the minister for human and minority rights Fatmir Đeka, the president of the Bosniak Democratic Movement (BDP) Dr. Sead Šahman, the mayor of the Old Royal Capital Cetinje Nikola Đurašković, the president of the United Reform Action (URA) Civic Movement Dritan Abazović and vice-president Ana Novaković Đurović, as well as the vice-president of the Democratic Party of Socialists Ivan Vuković were invited.
An invitation was also received by the former member of the Assembly of Kosovo, as well as a minister in the Kosovo government, Slobodan Petrović. Who will go from Serbia remains to be seen. As a reminder, in previous years, invitations were received by Vuk Drašković, former president of the SPO, current ministers of internal affairs and innovation and technological development Ivica Dačić and Nenad Popović…
This year’s Prayer breakfast is being held under very serious political circumstances in the world. From the war in Ukraine, unrest in Iran, the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, Trump’s overthrow of Nicolas Maduro’s regime in Venezuela, and the aspiration for the USA to take over Greenland.
What is the National Prayer breakfast?
The National Prayer breakfast, one of the most famous and longest-running events that connects religion and politics in Washington, will be held this year on February 4 and 5. It is traditionally held every first Thursday in February. In joint prayer, the US president, members of Congress, American politicians, and military leaders gather, as well as distinguished guests from more than 140 countries of the world.
Traditionally, two speakers address the gathering. One of them is inevitably the President of the USA (and this year it will be Trump), while the name of the second speaker is usually kept as a surprise for that moment.
Dwight Eisenhower was the first president to attend the event in February 1953, and since then, every president has spoken at the gathering.
The National Prayer breakfast was founded in 1953 by Abraham Vereide, and it is now organized by the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation with co-chairs from Congress.
In addition to the ceremonial part, a series of seminars, lunches, and dinners are organized alongside the main breakfast.
Until 2023, the hosts were members of the United States Congress, and it was organized on their behalf by the Christian organization The Fellowship Foundation. Since 2023, the official event has been led by the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation.
The original idea was for US politicians, from both the government and the opposition, gathered in one place to pray together for the peace and success of America, but it grew into the organization of an international prayer breakfast to which, besides domestic ones, world leaders and politicians are also invited to jointly send messages of peace and solidarity in the world.
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Source: Danas; Photo: ATA Images