Dacic said that he could testify first hand that the relations between our two countries and between our peoples are one of the highest priorities of Serbia’s state policy and that he had been participating in its realisation for years. "When we look back, we have many reasons to be satisfied, regardless of the differences that still follow us, I am sure that we are on the right path to bring our relations back to what they were during most of our common history," Dacic pointed out.

Dacic said that Serbia and the United States did not allow the Corona-eaten year to eat into our relations. "Our uninterrupted and very lively diplomacy culminated in early September of last year with the meeting of President Vucic and then President Trump in the White House, when an important agreement was reached regarding Kosovo-Metohija, as well as other important issues," said Ivica Dacic. He added that the victims of the COVID-19 virus are a huge and irreparable loss, yet one positive outcome even in these, most difficult of times, is, he deeply believes, solidarity, once forgotten, but now found again.

The founder of the Serbian-American Friendship Congress, Prof. Dr Vladimir Marinkovic gave a retrospective of Serbian-American relations since the appearance of the coronavirus and declaration of the pandemic. He stated that from the very beginning of the crisis, Serbia and the United States have shown mutual solidarity, stressing that at no time did our relations stall, that there is American investment and interest by US businessmen. All of it was crowned with the signing of the Washington Agreement on 4 September 2020, said Marinkovic. He said he believed that we would continue cooperation with the new American administration and develop it in many other areas, especially in science and education. American companies employ about 25,000 people in our country, and American investments are especially important because of their so-called "overflowing" effect, they bring in new knowledge and new technologies, Prof. Dr Vladimir Marinkovic concluded.

The Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Serbia Anthony Godfrey thanked the organisers for the initiative to hold the Conference, reminding the attending that this year marks 140 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which will celebrate important historical, economic and cultural ties between Serbia and America. He pointed out that Serbia and the United States cultivate friendly relations, as evidenced by the cooperation during the pandemic, when special flights were organised for American citizens, protective and testing equipment were donated and vaccines distributed.

The Ambassador went on to remark that this year also marks the 20th anniversary of the partnership between Serbia and USAID, and added that the organisation donated goods and services worth 4.3 million dollars during the pandemic.

The attending were also addressed by Prof. Dr Zorana Mihajlovic, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Minister of Mining and Energy and Co-Chair of the SAFC Advisory Board, Robert Coban, President of Color Press Group, Mirsad Djerlek, State Secretary of the Ministry of Health, and via video link Steve Stivers, Congressman and Vice-President of the Serbian Caucus, and Derek Mitchell, President of the National Democratic Institute.