It seems that November could mark a new symbolic beginning of the normalization of the trade fair activities of the Belgrade Fair, abruptly interrupted in March 2020. Although the holding of smaller-scale fair manifestations has not completely died out in the meantime, and even two exceptional and large international manifestations were held last October – the Armaments and Military Equipment Fair “Partner” and the Conference of Non-Aligned Countries – it was only last November that the atmosphere that visitors and exhibitors remember and that is understood in connection with the Belgrade Fair returned to the fair circle. In such an atmosphere of returning to the future, as many as five fair events have just ended, with around 500 exhibitors and participants in professional accompanying programs.
From November 23 to 25, 2021, three traditional fair events were held in Hall 2 of the Belgrade Fair: the 16th International Energy Fair, the 17th International Fair of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources – EcoFair and the 42nd International Fair of Prevention and Response in Emergency Situations and Safety and Health at Work – 112 Expo. The importance of this act is also indicated by the involvement, patronage and presence of leading people from three relevant ministries: the Ministry of Mining and Energy, with the Vice-President of the Government and the Minister of Mining and Energy, prof. Dr. Zoran Mihajlović at the head; The Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, led by Minister Prof. Dr. Darija Kisić Tepavčević, and Sandra Dokić, Assistant Minister, on behalf of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia. Opening these fairs, the three guests were unanimous in their assessment that the connection of the energy, ecological and protective basis of the social community is one of the most important issues of the country and the region and that the role of the Belgrade Fair in all of this is unavoidable.
In the same place and at the same time, three fair events tried to provide a unique and synergistic, regional and local logistics platform for answers to some of the most important questions of today – energy, energy efficiency, environment, risks, issues of emergency situations and safety at work. The energy fair as a respectable fair event with a UFI license and as the largest annual regional gathering of companies and a regional integrative leader in connecting all segments and factors of the energy sector in the country, the region and this part of Europe in general. Even in the conditions of the pandemic and with the demand for “environmentally acceptable behavior as a way of life”, EcoFair remained the place of regional annual gathering of institutions, equipment manufacturers, distributors, recyclers, operators, landfills, local governments, utility companies, waste generators and professional public – various factors from the environmental protection system. Fair 112 Expo presented itself again as a valid presenter of all social and economic potentials aimed at confronting unpredictable and unexpected emergency events and emergency situations, which threaten human lives and property, all in the mission of risk assessment and management.
About a hundred companies, institutions and authorities took part in the exhibition and professional accompanying program of these events, covering a wide range of energy sectors and activities. In a very relevant accompanying program, the “energy” accent was given by the Center for the Environment, Technical Regulations, Quality and Social Responsibility of the PKS with the presentation of “current and planned activities” in the fields of energy and ecology; a group of companies with innovations in the field of energy and ecology “Made in Serbia”, the Ukrainian Kness Group with the presentation of “European renewable energy projects” and the Serbian manufacturers of smart meters, with the daily presentation of “the latest solutions in the field of remote control of electricity consumption”. The ecological segment was covered by sessions related to the circular economy, climate change, waste management, Geopark “Đerdap”, Biosphere Reserve “Mura – Drava – Danube”, financing of infrastructure for waste water management, waste water treatment plant in Raška, etc. The relevant Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs questioned the effects of the performed inspections in the field of labor relations and safety and health at work; employment of disabled people in pandemic conditions, solidarity entrepreneurship, fatigue risk management, ergonomic strategy for the prevention of musculoskeletal diseases, etc.
Considering the pandemic, economic and other social circumstances, and after a two-year break, the performance of the fair trio designed in this way was rated highly, both as a fair activity and as a contribution to the Serbian economy as a whole.
From November 25 to 28, two more traditional fair events were held at the Belgrade Fair: the 15th Ethnic Food and Beverage Fair, in Hall 3, and the Expo-Zim Winter Sports Equipment, Tourism and Recreation Fair, in Hall 5.
Under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia, the Ethnic Food and Beverage Fair reminded us of the “pre-crisis” times with the number of exhibitors and other participants in the program, more than 350 of them, and the atmosphere of the fair, presenting everything that Serbia is known for in this area around the world. Visitors had the opportunity to taste the tastes and smells of domestic products from all over Serbia, Republika Srpska and Romania. Opening the event, the minister in the Government of Serbia responsible for the development of underdeveloped municipalities, Novica Tončev, called national specialties, products characteristic of narrow geographical areas, most often handmade and from organically grown raw materials, and traditional products in general as first-class market and export items – the “personal card” of our country.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management presented itself at the Fair for the first time with a group of producers; Association “Caritas” presented its thirty producers of traditional products from central Serbia as part of its own support program; At the Fair, the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia presented the project “Made in Serbia” and the products bearing the trademark of quality and domestic origin “Cuvarkuća”; a special segment of the fair – the Handicrafts Exhibition, was also organized this year by the association “Society of Serbian Hosts”.
As every year, a large number of awards were given to all prestigious producers of different product groups, which should be recognition and stimulation for further development and promotion of authentic food products. The expert jury decided that the main prize of the Ethnic Food and Beverage Fair “Brand from Serbia” for 2021 will be awarded to “Bojčin Eco Tours” d.o.o. from Progar, Surčin, for a range of mango products. Thus, one of the goals of the event was achieved – the branding of traditional products, which become an indispensable part of Serbia’s tourist offer, but also the promotion of smaller producers and their positioning on the market.