SAVE PETNICA SCIENCE CENTRE

The Ministry of Education had previously promised and subsequently withdrew funding for Petnica Science Centre. The Government of Serbia has shown blatant disregard for one of the sole surviving elite educational institutions in the country. We appeal to both individuals and organizations to put pressure on those responsible within the Serbian authorities.

Since Thursday June 25th 2009 10:00 AM (Central European time) petition has been signed 8405 times (Serbian version 5498 times and the English one 2907 times).

ABOUT PETNICA

Petnica Science Centre (PSC) is the only institution of its kind in Southeastern Europe. It gives young people the opportunity to engage in research in a way that surpasses traditional methods of schooling.



Every year Petnica welcomes approximately 2,500 talented students and experts in various fields of natural and social sciences from both Serbia and abroad. During its 25-year existence, Petnica became widely known and highly esteemed among educational institutions worldwide. More importantly however, it plays a crucial role in all fields of science in Serbia. Over a hundred different programmes are organised at Petnica every year. These programmes are aimed at highly gifted primary and high school students, as well as university students and science teachers. These mainly come from Serbia and neighbouring countries, though for the last four years Petnica has been organising an international camp 'Petnica International', which mainly caters to foreign students.

ABOUT THE FUNDING OF PETNICA

Although in its early days Petnica had been funded by the state, other sources of funding were explored in recent years. Now a larger part of the funding comes from sponsorships, donations from companies, Petnica alumni, as well as international foundations. Incredible enthusiasm and efforts of its staff and students have pulled Petnica through the hardships of the 1990s, a time of crippling isolation and widespread poverty in Serbia.
Today, after 25 years of highly successful work, a threat of funding withdrawal by the Ministry of Education means Petnica might be facing its end. After years of irresponsible and two-faced treatment of this elite educational institution, repeated delays in funds transfer and broken promises, this act is seem as the final straw.

Further details can be found on Petnica's website:
http://pi.petnica.rs
http://fond.petnica.rs/
and FB group
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