On May 5, 2025, a grand celebration was held in New York to mark a significant milestone - the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Society of Foreign Consuls (SoFC), the oldest and largest organization of its kind in the world. The formal gala reception took place in the historic Surrogate’s Courthouse in New York City. This exceptional event gathered more than 300 guests, including members of the diplomatic corps, over 100 consuls general, consuls, and honorary consuls, as well as representatives of various consulates, senior officials from the City of New York and the U.S. Department of State from both Washington and New York, and representatives of international organizations and partner institutions.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, with Consul General Dr. Vladimir Božović - who serves on the SoFC Executive Committee and was one of the initiators and active contributors to the planning of the centennial celebration - played a highly important and multifaceted role, making a significant contribution to the event’s concept and execution.

The program began with a short film on the history of the SoFC, in which Consul General Božović participated, emphasizing his gratitude to all those who contributed to the creation of the organization. This was followed by addresses from the President of the Society and Consul General of Malaysia Amir Farid Abu Hasan, New York City’s First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, Commissioner for International Affairs Edward Mermelstein, and U.S. Department of State Representative Cliff Seagroves. During the event, a special certificate of appreciation was presented to the City of New York, signed by all members of the Executive Committee, including Consul General Božović as the representative of Serbia. At the end of the program, the City of New York also presented an official proclamation in recognition of the SoFC’s diplomatic mission.

This highly distinguished event was especially enriched by the participation of Ms. Sofia Sretenović from the Consulate General, who served as the main Master of Ceremonies (MC). She proudly introduced herself as coming from Serbia and had the opportunity to speak about our country and the Consulate’s successful work, thereby representing Serbia in a dignified and professional manner before New York’s broad diplomatic audience.

The evening concluded with a gala multicultural reception, during which the Republic of Serbia, along with other SoFC member states, showcased its cultural and gastronomic diversity.