DPM Aleksić addresses the Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean

Deputy Prime Minister for Education, Science and Relations with Religious Communities Budimir Aleksić addressed the 20th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, held in Budva.

He stressed that today, when discussing the dialogue among civilisations and human rights, we are not speaking about abstract philosophical categories, but about the very foundations upon which the stability and future of our societies rest.

Deputy Prime Minister Aleksić particularly referred to education as the language of dialogue, emphasising that our mission is not merely to transmit information through the education system, but also to foster empathy and critical thinking.

Human rights are, at their core, the right to dignity, and that dignity is defended through knowledge. When we learn about others, their culture and history, we do not lose our identity – we enrich it. An educated person does not see a threat in those who are ‘different’, but rather a dialogue partner, said Aleksić, adding that through scientific cooperation we demonstrate that human rights and freedom of thought are inseparable from progress.

Supporting science means supporting freedom. Only a society that nurtures scientific truth can truly respect human rights, because science teaches us objectivity and respect for arguments, which are prerequisites for every civilisational advancement. Our obligation is not only to proclaim these rights, but to live by them through our daily work, recognising the richness of diversity that makes both our country and the world complete, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksić concluded.