Serbia, hold on to Pupin's values, that is the only way forward
Especially Deserving -
so that they are never forgotten
It is never good to point in such a way the most deserving ones, since there is a realistic possibility of forgetting someone. We certainly could not have mentioned everyone. We have not mentioned hundreds of thousands of best workers dedicated to the Innovation Movement
who remained with us until death.
Mika Špiljak
Mika Špiljak, an exceptional politician and close associate to President Tito, was in
charge of implementing two UN General Assembly Resolutions in Yugoslavia, at that time one of the leaders of developing countries in the fight for more just international-economic relations. The 1713 (XVI) Resolution from 1961 that says that international regulations must be changed, especially the patent system in order to prevent further exploitation of the developing countries through technologies. The second Resolution is the recommendation of the UN General Assembly to the developing countries to try and use the Innovation Movements and with their own forces raise the economic development to the higher level, thus strengthening the defence system of poor countries from various misuses when transferring technologies. That is why the Parliament elected him on 10 December 1974 as the President of the Innovation Movement in the SFRY. Špiljak carried out this function excellently because, as a former worker in the immediate production, great revolutionary and President of the Yugoslav Unions, he well understood the goals of the Innovation Movement and fight for the affirmation of creative workers in the immediate production. With his authority he quickly united all social forces in the SFRY to fight for such conditions in which each worker on his job would use technological innovations and improve the production process and earn innovation incomes.
The Innovation Movement quickly united all forces in Yugoslavia and fought through the UN system for the idea that if we want peace on the planet, modern technologies should not be the privilege of only the developed countries, just as the raw materials were not the privilege of only the poor world. The Movement fought for the world to move forward with large steps in establishing the Christian values.
That means that the best help to developing countries is not in donations, loans and price increase of raw materials, but in selling them the technologies under fair conditions which would they then further develop. The extent to which Špiljak supported the Innovation Movement is best shown by his attendance as a retired man at the October Confernce in 1989 in Užice, at the Second Congress of the
Yugoslav Inventors. It was the attempt to save the breakdown of the SFRY by supporting Ante Marković and Milan Pavić, because all Republics and Provinces were present. A struggle to direct enormous hatred between the Republics and Provinces towards the fight for the economic revival of the country.
Dragutin Bošković
Prof Dr Dragutin Bošković, Director of then powerful Patent Office, prominent businessman and expert, was actually the idea creator of the Innovation Movement. He participated for years in the revision of the International Patent System of the Paris Convention through the UN system. The SFRY Assembly appointed him as the President of the Executive Board of the Innovation Movement Council in which he was the closest associate to Mika Špiljak. As the representative of Yugoslavia in WIPO, he was the most expert man of the Movement. Together with the biggest world fighters for diminishing the gap between the rich and the poor, such as Patel from India, he drafted international documents which limited the power of transnational companies in exploiting poor countries when transferring technology. They primarily include the Code of Conduct of the Transfer of Technology, revision of the Paris Convention to the benefit of the developing countries, and standard national law on patents of the developing countries. These documents were discussed by the UN General Assembly, while the People’s Republic of China which was then opening towards the world used them maximally. Alongside Špiljak, Ilija Vakić, Arpad Bogša, he was the brain of the organization of the International Conference “Inventions as the Factor of Technology Development in the Developing Countries” in 1981 attended by 51 countries. Yugoslavia implemented the standard law on its territory which stirred up the world and Yugoslavia was under enormous pressures from the USA and developed countries to abolish it. Unfortunately, when Bošković died the entire system of building the defence system in the developing countries when buying technology starts to break apart.
Marjan Rožič
Dr. Marjan Rožič, President of the Assembly of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) and one of the people who deserve acknowledgment for the relatively quick adoption of the decision to establish the Innovation Movement in Yugoslavia. As a great Yugoslav, he perfectly understood the struggle of developing countries to reduce the gap between the rich north and the poor south. Along with Špiljak, Bošković, Ilija Vakić, the President of the Yugoslav Chamber of Commerce, and others, he was part of the Yugoslav leadership that supported the idea proposed by the great Willy Brandt, Chancellor of Germany, to establish a new international economic order in which the technological gap between rich and poor countries would be reduced. Although in a high political position, he always had time – in fact, that was his priority – to fight for the accelerated economic development of Yugoslavia. He will be remembered as a modest, honest, and charismatic person, a true Yugoslav.
Ilija Vakić
The role of the Yugoslav Chamber of Commerce in the proclamation of the Innovation Movement in the country was huge. Ilija Vakić, as President of the Chamber of Commerce, played a very important role in it. As a businessman, Vakić always advocated strongly economic reforms based on the introduction of technological innovations in the production process. He fought for the maximum affirmation of creative workers by expressing innovative income. He was a key man in the organization of the international conference "Invention as a Factor in the Development of Technology in Developing Countries" held in 1981 in Belgrade, which was attended by delegations from 51 developing countries. He was the patron of the October Meetings in 1980. The innovation movement was so strong in the first years because it was supported by people like Ilija Vakić, Mika Špiljak, Dragutin Bošković, Marjan Rožič and others. He is the winner of Pupin's gold medal.
Rajko Tomović
An exceptional person of the Innovation Movement, academic Tomović was the first man back in 1953 (when it was courageous to publicly speak up) who publicly pointed to the injustice done to Mihajlo Pupin by attributing many scientific achievements of Pupin and other world scientists to Tesla and thus creating the CULT of Nikola Tesla. His proposal was to declare October 12, when Tesla's most important patent was applied for, as the Day of Innovators of Yugoslavia, and that Pupin’s values should be declared the system of values of the Movement.
Tomović's fight for the recognition of Pupin's work can be seen in detail in Journal 12 of the Foundation.
Koča Jončić
Dr. Koča Jončić, the president of the Organization for Cooperation with the Serbian Diaspora Motherland of Migrants (Serb. Matica iseljenika) and a prominent socio-political worker, accepted the ideas of academic Rajko Tomović and tried to realize them by marking the anniversary of Pupin's birth. After the failed attempt to mark the 120th anniversary of Pupin's birth in 1974, Koča began serious preparations to mark the 125th anniversary. He had huge problems with quasi-patriots until Josip Broz Tito accepted the patronage. Then everything went extraordinarily well. Within the Innovation Movement, it was agreed with Špiljak, Bošković, Rožič to mark the 125th anniversary of Pupin's birth in Idvor, to organize a scientific meeting on Pupin's work in Novi Sad and to proclaim October 12 as the Day of Yugoslav Innovators in T. Užice. Thus began the holding of the October Meetings, which have been organized 41 times to date. Meetings have been held over the years with more or less success, the best being in 1979.
Dragutin Zelenović
Academic Zelenović was a high official of the state administration, a top scientist very loyal to the Innovation Movement. That is why he won Pupin's medal. He was also declared an Honorary Citizen of Idvor. His name is eternally tied to technological innovations that are a powerful means of economic progress.
Aleksandar Marinčić
Academic Aleksandar Marinčić is the most prominent member of the Innovation Movement, who has been active in it for the longest time, from its very beginning. He understood Tesla's and Pupin's work very well, translated Pupin's autobiography from English and wrote extraordinary explanations about world scientists who had contact with Pupin. He won Pupin's gold medal and was elected Honorary Citizen of Idvor. Just before his death, when he was proclaimed an Honorary Citizen at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, he said that it was his favorite recognition and he shed a tear.
Dušan Čkrebić
For Dušan Čkrebić, we can say that he may have played the most important role in preventing the shutdown of the Innovation Movement. As the most influential official from Serbia in the Federation, he understood, after Bošković's death, the basic goals of the Movement and its goal of creating more humane international economic relations. If it were not for him, the then Prime Minister Branko Mikulić would have caused enormous damage to the Movement, since Yugoslavia disintegrated soon after that. He is the winner of Pupin's medal, which was presented to him in Idvor in 2011, when he gave a great speech on behalf of all the winners.
Ante Marković
The greatest reformer of the Innovation Movement was engineer Ante Marković, prime minister of Yugoslavia. Based on the then results, he would have led our country into the European Union in 1989, had the SFR Yugoslavia not disintegrated. He was the patron of the October Meetings in 1989 at the II Congress of Inventors of Yugoslavia. He was a prominent businessman and created the powerful factory "Rade Končar" in Zagreb.
Milan Pavić
Milan Pavić is an exceptional member of the Innovation Movement who is most deserving of enabling the Second Congress on Inovators in 1989 being successfully held in T. Užicu. All of the Republics and the provinces of former Yugoslavia were present. The Congress showed how strong the Innovation Movement was in Yugoslavia, even thinking for a moment that it could save the breakdown of the country.
Milan Pavić became the president of the Yugoslav Chamber of Commerce at a time when the Innovation Movement was in a crisis, and he made it strong again with his vision of a prominent businessman who developed "Jugoturbina" Karlovac. He was a great support to Ante Marković in economic reforms and was the patron of the October Meetings in 1988. He won the Pupin Medal.
Nikola Hajdin
Academic Nikola Hajdin, who was the only president of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts with three mandates, played a key role after the disintegration of Yugoslavia in keeping the Innovation Movement alive, strengthening it, and returning to the original principles through the emphasis and affirmation of Mihajlo Pupin. With his authority, he helped the Mladen Selak Foundation to follow the principles of continuity as laid down by the Decision of the Assembly of the SFRY on the Innovation Movement. He helped Mladen Selak, who was back then the President of the Managing Board of the Foundation, to obtain all the necessary documents for the construction of the monument to Mihajlo Pupin and urged the Assembly of the City of Belgrade to approve the construction of the monument to Mihajlo Pupin next to Nikola Tesla's monument in front of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade. He was one of the few high-ranking officials who had been a regular at all the October meetings over the last 20 years. His charisma, modesty, wit in direct contact with people will be remembered as the most beautiful thing that the activists of the Foundation experienced. He won Pupin's gold medal in 2005 and was declared an Honorary Citizen of Idvor.
Boris Tadić
Boris Tadić was, as President of the Republic of Serbia, the patron of the event marking 150 years since the birth of Mihajlo Pupin in Idvor, where he gave a great speech. He is the only President of the Republic who attended and actively participated three times in the October Meetings (2003 and 2005, which were held in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and in 2004 in Idvor). The Foundation received strong support from him, especially through the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, to renovate many facilities in Idvor, which had been completely neglected. He won Pupin's gold medal in 2004.
Slobodan Milosavljević
The innovation movement has always received the greatest support from presidents of the Chamber of Commerce, which is understandable because innovation is an economic activity. One of the best presidents of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Slobodan Milosavljević, must be acknowledged here, as he ensured that the 150th anniversary of Pupin's birth in Idvor was organized at a high level. Since he had the support of the President of the Republic and has family ties in Idvor, he wholeheartedly helped to do as much as possible in Idvor by renovating the Home, the Museum, Pupin's house and more. He won Pupin's gold medal in 2004.
Branko Kovačević
Professor Branko Kovačević, a great Serbian scientist, rector of the Belgrade University, dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering for several terms and president of the Board of Directors of the Electric Power Industry of Serbia, has helped the Foundation over the last decade to continue working on the affirmation of Mihajlo Pupin, helping young talents within the Innovation Movement. Thanks to his engagement as the president of the organizing committee, the Meetings in Idvor were raised to an even higher level. It was in 2012 that Professor Hajdin suggested that Professor Kovačević be his successor, while Hajdin remained the president of the Board of Directors of the Foundation. He won the Pupin Gold Medal and was declared an Honorary Citizen of Idvor.
Đorđe Zuber
Đorđe Zuber is a legend of the Innovation Movement who had been involved in it since the very first day, when the idea of the Movement was born back in 1971 at conferences in Maribor and Opatija. He participated in all major events of the Movement for almost 50 years. He was a person characterized by honesty, modesty, chivalry, and loyalty to the Movement. He was a charismatic person respected by people. He won the Pupin Gold Medal.
Milan Raspopović
Professor Milan Raspopović, just as Đorđe Zuber and Dragiša Matić-Uča, participated from the first day in the preparations for the proclamation of the Innovation Movement in Yugoslavia. Professor Raspopović focused all his energy on the creation of the Mathematical Gymnasium, for which he laid the foundations as the most valuable thing in the educational system of former Yugoslavia and served as its director for over 30 years. He preserved the gymnasium as a system of values that the Innovation Movement has always been proud of. After retiring, he continued to actively help the Foundation to organize the October Meetings in Idvor as successfully as possible. He won the Pupin Gold Medal and was elected Honorary Citizen of Idvor.
Slobodan Simić
Restoring Pupin's fund, which in February of 2000, was initiated by Selak's fund with the support of the Serbian Academy of Science and Culture, Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of Science and Technology and others, received in the last few years the greatest support from Slobodan Simić. He is a renowned entrepreneur and a great admirer of the works of the greatest scientists. He alsways highlights the fact that he is a huge fan of Tesla and Pupin.
Let's get better introduced to this incredible man, devout Christian who only God's laws - love, humbleness and respect for your fellow man lead you to perform pure and good deeds.
Nikola Stojsić
Nikola Stojšić, one of the best presidents of the Chamber of Commerce (he was president of the Chamber of Commerce of Vojvodina for 30 years), who maximally supported invention in general as a factor of economic development and the idea of the Innovation Movement. He has been a pillar of that Movement not only in Vojvodina, but in Serbia and Yugoslavia for over 40 years, where he is still very active today. He is the winner of Pupin's Gold Medal and is an Honorary Citizen of Idvor.
Branko Krga
General Branko Krga, Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Army, was a great support to Selak at the moment when he was fully committed to helping the development of science and technology in our country. He attended and actively participated in the organization of the October Meetings held in the Chamber of Commerce, and he had a particularly important role and provided great help in the organization of the 150th anniversary since the birth of Mihajlo Pupin in Idvor. On that occasion, the army drained canals in Idvor, cleaned sewers and renovated Pupin's Home. He won the Pupin Gold Medal and was declared an Honorary Citizen of Idvor.
Dragiša Matić – Uča
One could argue that Dragiša Matić - Uča is the oldest living legend from Idvor, a witness to the fate of Pupin from the end of World War II, and especially until 1979, when his name was not very popular to mention. He is the first Yugoslav who initially tried in a delicate way to point out to the injustices committed by the authorities in the 1950s and 1960s. There are few people who have supported the October Meetings with such enthusiasm as he has done in his advanced age. He was a teacher at the elementary school in Idvor for 42 years. He won the Pupin Gold Medal in 2010.