Celebrating the Beginning of the Academic Year 2019-2020

Celebrating the Beginning of the Academic Year 2019-2020

On Monday, the 1st of October, 2019, the Faculty of Law organised an admission ceremony for the 211th generation of law students. Apart from our students and teachers, many representatives of the University of Belgrade, other scientific institutions, organs of the judiciary and administration, associations and the general professional public attended the celebration. As per a long-standing tradition, this grand day was made even grander by the “Obilić” choir of the “Branko Krsmanović” Academic Cultural and Artistic Association, with a solo accordion performance by Miloš Filić, and conducted by Ana Ćosović.

The gathering was addressed by Dragomir Milojević, the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation, Prof. Dr Zoran Mirković, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Uroš Mijatović, the president of the Students’ Parliament, and Pavle Pašajlić, the president of the Alumni Association of the Faculty of Law. Prof. Dr Vojislav Stanimirović acted as master of ceremonies.

The Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Zoran Mirković, began his speech by giving a brief account of the history of the Faculty of Law, which, just like the University of Belgrade, celebrated its 211th anniversary this year, counting from the day the Great School of Belgrade was founded – 13th of September, 1808. Afterwards, the dean informed the freshmen of the experiences that await them during their studies at the Faculty of Law: the sorts of disciplines that they would study, the teachers who would be instructing them (and the importance of attending classes regularly), but also of the extracurricular activities that are open to them (such as the Forvm Romanvm club, the oratory competition, the moot court, etc.). He pointed out that being a student involves attending classes and passing exams, but that it is also so much more than that – that a student should attend cultural, sports and other types of events, make friends, read more than just the prescribed literature (and for that they would have access to one of the finest law libraries in this part of Europe at the Faculty), extending their interests to works of literature that would enrich their knowledge and their views of life.

“Wherever life may take you, and whatever your work may be, please keep in mind and uphold the precepts of law set long ago by the Roman jurist Ulpian. They say: live honestly, harm no one, and give to each his own. To this I would add: live fairly and do not do anything today that you might be ashamed of tomorrow. Respect the rules that were set and the agreements that were reached, and do not allow anyone to change them, nor change them yourselves,” said the Dean to the future lawyers.

On behalf of the Alumni Association of the Faculty of Law, as well as his own, Mr. Pavle Pašajlić delivered an emotional speech in which he offered the students some advice and support regarding their studies, but also their life after graduation.