Nikolic opens exhibition on Serbs in Tunisia

TUNISIA - Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic opened in Tunisia on Thursday an exhibition entitled Serbs in North Africa 1915-1919 and thanked the people of Tunisia for the kindness extended to Serbian soldiers and refugees in 1915.

"I tell you today that Serbia will be forever grateful to the people of Tunisia for the kindness with which you took in the wounded, exhausted and suffering Serbian troops and refugees in 1915, for the attention and love with which you cared for them until the end of the Great War," Nikolic stated.

Opening the exhibition that poses as a part of the Serbs' historical memory of their stay in Tunisia during World War One, Nikolic pointed out that a fraternity between the French, Tunisian and Serbian troops developed in northern Africa and later during the efforts to breach the Thessaloniki Front, adding that it was a unique thing in the history of warfare.

"The image from the port in Bizerte of Tunisians in traditional clothes, children and citizens with flowers, fruit, pastries and bread welcoming the Serbs, of French officers and gentlemen, has been described by one generation to the next as a touching part of our heritage," Nikolic said.

There are many families in Serbia whose ancestors reached North Africa during Wolrd War One or remained forever there to rest in that friendly territory, he remarked.

Over 62,000 Serbian troops and more than 3,000 refugees went through Tunisia and North Africa by 1919, Nikolic said.

Many volunteers came to Tunisia during Wolrd War One for recovery and training and then afterwards went back to the fronts, he stated, adding that 3,226 Serbs died of their wounds after coming to Africa, and that they still rest there.

"Thank you for...