Cacak, 3 December 2025 - More than one hundred students from three high schools in Cacak successfully completed emergency response training today, held at the Technical School Cacak. The training was organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the support of the European Union and in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the Sector for Emergency Management - Ministry of Interior (MoI), the City of Cacak, the Red Cross Cacak, the Cacak Civil Protection Unit, and the Institute for Public Health Cacak.
Vladan Milić, Deputy Mayor of Cacak, stated: “Our goal is to ensure that our children are equipped to respond in the most difficult and most important situations—those in which their proper reaction can save not only their own life, but also the lives of others.” He added: “This training is an important contribution to their upbringing, personal development, and understanding of the vital role they play in the society in which they live, grow, learn, and work.”
Richard Masa, Head of Operations at the EU Delegation to Serbia, said that this activity is part of a broader initiative aimed at strengthening Serbia’s healthcare system to better prepare it for future challenges, for which the EU has donated EUR 12 million.
“The EU stands with Serbia in building a healthcare system that protects all people, everywhere. Such protection begins with empowering young people like these students. In an emergency, they will not be passive observers—they will be the first to respond. This is precisely the kind of resilience we need to build among citizens across Serbia,” Masa emphasized.
Students at the Music School “Dr. Vojislav Vuckovic”, the Technical School, and the Cacak High School of Mechanical Engineering and Traffic Management, received certificates for successfully completing first aid training and also learned how to respond during epidemics and pandemics. In addition, students from Cacak participated in a fire evacuation drill carried out by members of the Cacak Civil Protection Unit.
Prof. Dr. Verica Jovanović, Acting Director of the Institute of Public Health of Serbia, highlighted that the institution contributes to improving preparedness and response in emergency situations by supporting policy development, education, and community capacity-building—including youth education on health risks and protective measures.
“Young people have energy, the ability to learn quickly, and strong motivation to contribute to the safety of their community. This is why the Ministry of Health, together with the Institute of Public Health of Serbia, strongly supports initiatives that enable them to acquire practical knowledge and skills that can save lives,” added Dr. Jovanović.
On this occasion, representatives of the EU and UNDP presented a donation of personal protective and safety equipment to the Cacak High School of Mechanical Engineering and Traffic Management, the Music School, the Technical School, and the Cacak Civil Protection Unit.
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Fabrizio Andreuzzi emphasized the importance of empowering young people to act calmly, responsibly, and confidently in emergency situations.
“These skills not only help them protect themselves better—they are essential for building safer and more resilient communities. UNDP will continue to support citizens and institutions in Serbia to improve the readiness of cities and municipalities across the country for crises and emergencies, ensuring that no one is left behind,” said Andreuzzi, noting that these activities build on the organization’s longstanding partnership with the City of Cacak, including support for better flood risk management along the West Morava basin.
This event was organized within the project “EU for the Healthcare System in Serbia,” funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Interior.
