Welcome to Belgrade, the capital of the Republic of Serbia. Welcome to one of the oldest cities in Europe, which offers you its sincere cordiality and its famous hospitality, cultivated during the centuries, as well as the rich programmed during your visit.------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------The archaeological excavations have shown that the first settlement on the territory of Belgrade had existed already in the Neolithic era - five thousand years B.C. At the right, high bank of the Danube, in the region of the present village of Vinca, there is the largest prehistoric site in this part of the Balkans. The excellent geographic position, as Belgrade is situated at the confluence of the two great rivers and at the crossroads between the North and the South, the East and the West, attracted many nations, who founded their settlements, lasting for shorter or longer time during the course of history. In the third century BC the Celtic tribe Scordisci founded the City of Singidunum, which the Romans took by the beginning of the first century AD and stayed in it for four centuries.Between the fifth and the eight century Belgrade was under the rule of the Gepides, the Avars, the Franks, the Bulgarians, the Hungarians and the Byzantine Empire. The city got its name in the 9th century, when Singidunum is mentioned for the first time under the name of Alba Graeca - the White City, Belgrade being the Slav translation. In the second half of the 13th century, Belgrade was incorporated into Serbian state. The Turks took it in 1521. and stayed in it, with some short interruptions, until its final liberation in 1867. After the end of the World War I, during which Belgrade was occupied by Austro-Hungary, the city became the capital of Yugoslavia. During the World War II, Belgrade was occupied by fascist Germany and it was liberated on October 20th, 1944.------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------Today Belgrade is the great political, economic and cultural center in this part of Europe. Situated at 44 48' latitude north and 20 28' longitude easts, it is located on the intersection of the important communications by land, water and air. The rapid growth of automobile transport required a corresponding development of motorways and streets, parking spaces, petrol stations and the introduction of corresponding traffic regulation in Belgrade. Average temperature in January 1.7 Centigrade, in August 22.6 Centigrade. ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------- After winning the City of the Future for South-East Central Europe, the Serbian capital has won the second round of this prestigious competition. The award was presented to the mayor of Belgrade Mr. Nenad Bogdanovic. Financial Times has organized European cities and regions of the future for 2006/07 and, after winning the second round, Belgrade was awarded the name City of the future in Southern Europe. The award was received by Mr. Nenad Bogdanovic, the mayor of Belgrade. He was accompanied by Ms. Vesna Peric, deputy Director of the Serbia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA). SIEPA, together with the USAIDs project SEDP has nominated Belgrade for this award. Our representatives were informed that the main competitor in this round was the Turkish city Manisa. The region of Southern Europe, where Belgrade is the City of the future, includes Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Turkey and Mediterranean islands (Cyprus, Malta, Sicily, Crete, etc.).The awards were also given to London (City of the Future in Northern Europe), Paris (City of the Future in Western Europe), Brno (City of the Future in Central Europe), and Baku (City of the Future in Eastern Europe). These five cities are competing for the final award of being named the European city of the future for 2006/07.The competition for city and regions of the future is given on all continents and is organized by the specialized edition of the Financial Times for foreign and direct investments, FDI Magazine. The title carries a recommendation for the biggest future investment location, by the most recognized financial newspaper in the world. Categories and criteria by which the judges have made their decision are based on economic potential, cost effectiveness, human resources, IT and telecommunications, transport, quality of life and FDI promotion. The final winner of the "European city of the future for 2006/07" contest is LondonBelgrade on the Web http://www.beograd.org.yu http://www.belgradetourism.org.yu
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