“WE HAVE EXCHANGED BOOKS AND PENCILS FOR SLOGANS AND WHISTLES”: Letter from Serbian high school students submitted to the European Parliament in Brussels!

A letter from high school students from Serbia was handed over to the European Parliament in Brussels, in which EU institutions are called upon to “break the silence and stand by the young people of Serbia who have risen up in the fight for common European values.”

The letter was handed over to the European Parliament, on behalf of Serbian high school students, by Nikola Matić, a student of the First Belgrade Gymnasium, who was part of the logistics of the student ultramarathon to Brussels. Among the runners was also Maja, a student of the First Belgrade Gymnasium, for whom a group of students from her school organized a surprise and welcomed her in Brussels.

Students of the First Belgrade Gymnasium have decided not to end the blockade until Maja and Nikola return to Serbia.

We are transmitting the letter of Serbian high school students, addressed to the European Parliament, in its entirety:

“Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the European Parliament,

We have come here to Brussels after running 1,933 kilometers. This is not the first time we have run, marched, or cycled with the ultimate goal of making our homeland, the Republic of Serbia, a better place. Unfortunately, we live in a country where corruption is an integral part of the system, where the media accuse young people of being foreign mercenaries, terrorists, and enemies, and where a 300-ton concrete canopy collapsed and killed 16 people. Since November 1st, our lives have drastically changed. A tragedy occurred that we could never have imagined. This is no longer a local protest, but a fight for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights of a European people — values that, as you yourselves know, form the foundation of the European Union.

The first protest broke out in Novi Sad, where the authorities showed a serious lack of responsibility. Then the young people in Serbia rose up. Universities, and soon after high schools, ceased to function in the usual way. We exchanged books and pencils for slogans and whistles. We, high school students, organize ourselves through plenums, we have no leaders, and every day we prove that direct democracy really works. Hundreds of students from each school who want to shape the protests — and thus our future — attend these meetings. Together, we have decided that we will no longer remain silent about the problems that threaten our lives.

Although we risk collectively failing the school year, we have not attended classes since December. We do not go to regular lectures, but we regularly attend classes in patriotism, empathy, tolerance, integrity, honesty, courage, and compassion — which are held at our peaceful protests.

The pressure to which we and our professors are exposed is enormous. Professors who have decided to stand by us, and they are the majority, have not received their full salary or even any part of it as a form of punishment by the Ministry.

We demand that all of you present break the silence and stand by the young people of Serbia who have risen up in the fight for common European values. Be our wind at our backs. United, we stand in the belief that our struggle is not only for Serbia, but also for the future of a united, democratic Europe.

Thank you for your attention,

High school students of Serbia”