Why I became a diplomat by Branislava Perin Jaric, Counselor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia
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I was 12 when the war broke out in 1991 in former Yugoslavia. I witnessed as my relatives, neighbours and friends suddenly found themselves in the middle of chaos and atrocities. Lack of communication and miscommunication led this extraordinary country to the battlefield. The region was in the throes of war crimes, ethnic cleansing, hundreds of thousands of refugees, crimes against humanity, devastation of infrastructure and economy.
Diplomacy and mediated discussion were needed to end that miserable situation and to stop the insanity of war. Many foreign diplomats were involved in the mediation process in the Yugoslavian wars. The negotiations and mediations were followed by media and the public. Everyone had high expectations. Suddenly diplomats were very important for the better future of people in the Balkans. This is one of the reasons why I chose to study International relations at Belgrade University and applied in 2003 for a job in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Blog post by Branislava Perin Jaric, Counselor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia