“Common Cause Community 2020” Programme: Committed To The Young

In a concerted effort with Serbia’s Ministries of Education and Interior, NIS allocated RSD 114.5 MLN to digitalise schools and keep them safe. The funds have been allocated for outfitting the institutions of education located in 12 towns and municipalities of Serbia

Seeking to strengthen the safety of schoolchildren and upgrade Serbia’s education network, the NIS Company signed the Cooperation Memorandum with Serbia’s Ministries of Interior and Science, Education and Technology Development. Cooperation Agreements have also been exchanged between the NIS Company and local administrations, partners in the “Common Cause Community” social responsibility programme.

NIS intends to allocate RSD 114.5 million for the benefit of primary and secondary schools located in 12 towns and municipalities of Serbia

Within this programme NIS intends to allocate RSD 114.5 million for the benefit of primary and secondary schools located in 12 towns and municipalities of Serbia – Belgrade, Novi Sad, Požarevac, Niš, Čačak, Zrenjanin, Pančevo, Kikinda, Kanjiža, Novi Bečej, Srbobran and Žitište. The funds have been allocated for outfitting the institutions of education located in the above towns with the state-of-the-art safety and information systems and to digitalise the curriculum. NIS, thus, seeks to strengthen the safety of schoolchildren, as well as to provide to students better conditions to acquire knowledge and skills. The Memorandum has been signed by Kirill Tyurdenev, the CEO of the NIS Company, Nebojša Stefanović, Minister of Interior and Mladen Šarčević, Minister of Science, Education and Technology Development in a ceremony by the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade. The keynote speakers at the ceremony included Aleksandar Antić, Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Power Generation, as well as Zoran Radojičić, Belgrade’s mayor.

Kirill Tyurdenev, the CEO of NIS, informed that since 2009, within its “Common Cause Community” programme, his company has completed almost a thousand projects funded with more than a billion RSD. “Community needs are scrutinized through the prism of current state of affairs, invariably looking into the future. In a concerted effort with Serbia’s Government and local administrations we set the priorities. Last year, we focused on children’s health, naturally it remains our mainstay. This year we remain committed to the young. In association with Serbia’s Ministries of Education and Interior, we facilitate streamlining education digitalisation and safety systems in schools“, Tyurdenev said.

Nebojša Stefanović, Minister of Interior, acknowledged NIS for upholding Serbia’s quest to boost our country’s population living standards. “It is important that businesses are socially responsible and demonstrate that, in addition to making profits in the Republic of Serbia, they can also invest funds in the local areas and improve the town dwellers’ living standards” said Stefanović.

Mladen Šarčević, Minister of Science, Education and Technology Development, pointed out that investing in education is the proof that NIS is child-centered. “I want to thank everyone for what this company has done and what it is about to do, and I can freely say that we have become partners. It is especially important that NIS always asks what is necessary and required in order to better respond to the needs of the community” Šarčević said.

Aleksandar Antić, Minister of Mining and Power Generation, stated: “NIS company has invested a lot over the last ten years, not only in financial terms but also in terms of efficiency, new technologies and a whole new perspective on business and social responsibility, which they have put in the first plan in every segment of their business.” said Antić.

The ceremony has also marked the start of this year’s public competition as part of “Common Cause Community” program. The projects that will gain funding will be chosen by a Commission comprised of the representatives of the Ministries of Interior, and Science, Education and Technology Development Republic of Serbia, locale communities and the NIS Company.

All terms and conditions of the public “Common Cause Community” competition have been posted on: www.nis. eu/zajednici-zajedno, while the competition outcome will be made public before 22nd April 2020. Being Serbia’s leading social investor, NIS under the motto “Future at Work” has been investing significant funds in community development, focusing on supporting the young.