Within the celebration of St. Sava’s day, later in the afternoon, the students of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law took part in the traditional, XXVI oratory competition. As usual, the famous “Five” (the “Radomir D. Lukić” hall) was brimming with audience – apart from our students and teachers, many curious citizens were there as well. The participants competed, as they always do, in three categories: topic of their own choosing, pre-set topic, and improvisation. The pre-set topics for this year were based on quotes by two great men – “Dum Spiro Spero” (Thomas Hobbes), and “Knowledge has boundaries, ignorance has none” (Branislav Nušić, Serbian playwright). As in the previous years, the best 12 students made it to the finals.

The judging panel consisted of Dr Ljiljana Mrkić Popović (full professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts), Ratomir Rale Damjanović (writer), Ivan Bekjarev (actor), Dr Zoran Mirković (the Dean of the Faculty of Law), and Dr Sima Avramović (full professor at the Faculty of Law).

The judges decided that the absolute winner of the contest, and the winner in the freely chosen topic category, is Kristina Omerović, a third year student, with an oration entitled “The Warrior of Light”. Kristina Omerović also won the “Audience Choice” award.

The “Veljko Guberina” award for the most legal oration went to Ljubica Vujnović, an MA student, for the pre-set topic “Knowledge has boundaries, ignorance has none”.

Third place for the pre-set topic went to Nevena Obrenović, a third year student, for the “Dum Spiro Spero”.

Third place for the freely chosen topic went to Ljubica Pavlović, a fourth year student, for the oration entitled “Which is Allowed”.

Second place for the pre-set topic went to Jovana Sretenović, a first year student, for “Dum Spiro Spero”.

Second place for the freely chosen topic was won by Nikola Vjetrović, a fourth year student, with an oration entitled “Baba Roga”.

First place for the pre-set topic was awarded to Janko Balšić, for “Dum Spiro Spero”.

First place for improvisation was shared by Jovan Grubor and Milica Stojković, for orations on a topic given to them at the very beginning of the contest – “And yet it moves – but for how much longer?”

Congratulations to all of our students, and thank you to all the guests who by participating and attending the oratory competition made the celebration of St. Sava’s day at the Faculty of Law even grander.