For the upcoming Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom, and the National Flag, celebrated each year on the day of the breakthrough of the Thessaloniki front in World War One, 15 September, HRH Crown Prince Alexander sends the following message:
“To the citizens of Serbia, the Republic of Srpska, and all members of our nation around the world, I send my most sincere congratulations on the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom, and the National Flag!
From the beginning of the history of our people, our ancestors have always gathered around various banners, whether it was the double-headed eagle of the Nemanjic Dynasty, cross-carrying banner in the hands of Bosko Jugovic sung in the folk song from the old days, Karadjordje’s Uprising flag, or our well-known tricolour flag. Banners have changed and altered, but the most important symbols displayed on them remain, the same as the feelings Serbs have for one of our most important national symbols.
From the medieval period to our times, the flag was always deeply respected and loved by our people, even seen as a sacred item. During the battles, soldiers called it their “brother-in-arms”, defended it heartily and decisively, disregarding their own lives to keep it. On the day when we remember heroic soldiers from the Thessaloniki front, we should remind ourselves of the well-known story, that they went through Golgotha and resurrection, and still managed to keep all their regimental flags, all 51 of them, which my great-grandfather, King Peter I, presented to the Army units in June and November 1911.
No matter if it is carried through war, or in times of greatest happiness, our flag is always there, with us. It is the legacy of all those who built our country, who handed it over from one generation to another, to last until our days. And we will deliver it further, to our grandchildren, to continue gathering us around it, uniting us, reminding us of who we are, a freedom-loving people, with sublime values of justice and truth as our moral code, and of the bequest we should all be proud of. But also, to continue the thread started in the old days, creating a legacy of our own, which our offsprings will be proud of. We will do so when we are united and working together for a better future and the progress of our Homeland. While doing so, the Serbian flag will always fly proudly, as long as there are us, as long as we exist, forever.
Photo – Screenshot from Crown Prince Alexander’s annual film “Following the Legacy of the Great”