The manifestation “Belgrade Grand Prix” was held in the capital of Serbia from 30 August to 1 September, under the patronage of the Royal Family of Serbia and the Embassy of Italy in Serbia. TRH Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine hosted a Royal Gala, solemn reception at the White Palace last night, and they today attended the international parade of unique historic cars and motorcycles around the medieval fortress Kalemegdan.
The manifestation is organized in memory of the original International Car and Motorcycle Race, which was held on 3 September 1939, honouring the birthday of HM King Peter II, and organised by the Politika newspaper and the Royal Automobile Club of Yugoslavia. 85 years ago, the race around the Belgrade Fortress wrote some of the important pages in the history of the prestigious auto-moto competition that we know today as Formula 1. The Belgrade Grand Prix is established as a spectacle that reminds everybody of the important history of our capital and its relevance in the cultural and technological development of this part of Europe and the world.
Together with the formal reception, on Saturday 31 August, an exhibition “Karadjordjevic Dynasty and automobiles” was presented at the White Palace, showing the deep connection which members of the Royal Family of Serbia had with cars. Eight vintage automobiles were displayed in front and in the back yard of the Palace, while ballet artists from the National Foundation for Dance, led by the Director Ms. Aja Jung, performed a specially designed dancing performance.
Crown Prince Alexander as the host and the Patron of the event greeted guests in the home of the Royal Family, thanking all the partners and organizers for a beautiful, important and successful manifestation, and expressed his belief that it will become traditional, and even more successful in the future. “Memory of the Grand Prix held in 1939 is a remembrance of some different days, different times, of old Belgrade and Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The huge number of people who came to the races eighty-five years ago testify of their wish for a normal life. To forget the apprehension of the upcoming terrors and replace it with a feeling that was not anticipation of terrible conflict. It was a ray of light, a piece of hope, before the coming darkness.
With this event, we preserve the memory of old Belgrade, our country, our history. We are stealing pieces of the past from oblivion, which is something we owe to our ancestors, to keep their legacy and vision alive and continue it. The vision of a city and a country that are an equal part of the modern world, that did not wish war, but to be prosperous and live in peace. It is something we should all be proud of”, stated HRH Crown Prince Alexander.
The reception was attended by numerous Ambassadors and other representatives of the diplomatic corps, members of the Advisory Bodies of the Crown, representatives of cultural institutions, as well as many other distinguished guests from the spheres of business, art, culture, and the public life of Serbia. HE Luca Gori, Ambassador of Italy to Serbia, also addressed the people, emphasizing the importance of events like this in preserving and improving good relations between our countries, as well as Mr. Giorgio Andrian, the Director of the Belgrade Grand Prix, who spoke about the manifestation.
On Sunday 1 September, Their Royal Highnesses attended the exhibition and the parade of more than 60 unique historical cars and motorcycles from Italy, Bulgaria, and Serbia. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess were also in the car which took the first lap around the Belgrade Fortress, as well as the Ambassador of Italy in the other car. The value of the vehicles presented goes beyond the material, as they all have a special story surrounding them. A special part of this year’s event was the return of the original BMW 315 to the streets around Kalemegdan, 85 years later, as the only remaining perfectly functional vehicle that participated in the race in 1939. The event finished in front of the City Hall of Belgrade, where Crown Prince Alexander once again greeted everybody present.
The Royal Family of Serbia is very grateful to everybody who helped in the organization of this manifestation: Mr. Giorgio Andrian, the Director of the Belgrade Grand Prix and Motor Heritage Consulting, and all members of his team, the City of Belgrade, the Automobile Association of Serbia, the Serbian Association for Historic Vehicles, the Italian Institute of Culture, and the International Association of Vintage Vehicles “FIVA”, as well as all the sponsors.
