To master the environmental and sustainability challenges

On the 6^th of April I was visiting my family in Belgrade when the notification came through:

We would like to congratulate you on your successful admission to Lund University!

I have been admitted to the Master in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science and from the 29^th of August the new and exciting chapter in my life begins.

For many years now, the thirst for knowledge has driven me towards different studies. And I have been fortunate to attend them. Different countries, different languages and different topics have provided me with great insights and experiences. They were all driven with the same curiosity: to find answers for the issues that concerned me.

After many years and studies I have finally found a purpose that go beyond ‘MY CONCERNS’.

It all changed after I found out about LUMES International Master Programme in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science. It was the only program that I was willing to commit two years of my life for a very simple reason:

There is no more important issue than this!

In my statement of purpose I’ve written that my main interest to attend the program is coming from a profound sense of responsibility towards taking greater commitment towards dismantling many decades of wrong doing to the environment. Today we know that it could have been avoided if there had been higher social, political and business consensus, awareness and willingness to confront and tackle these issues on time. With LUMES, I hope to acquire knowledge that can be used to put an end to the duality between the GDP and ecology. Although the GDP is invisible and environmental contamination is visible, the reality is that it is difficult for many social, political and business leaders to acknowledge ecology as the World’s priority and many still live in a state of denial putting GDP over environment.

We as a specie must put aside all the medieval tribal based myths, ambitions and differences in order to work towards collaborative mindset that will create a general and global agreement on the ways we intend to relate ourselves to the natural resources our Planet has to provide.

I believe that the Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science program will provide me with the knowledge and experience that will prepare me to become a committed and useful part of the ongoing and vital debate. This passionate debate that seeks to improve our Ethics and change our mindsets in order to appreciate the fact that There Is No Alternative to the Planet Earth which we are confined to preserve for the generations to come.

I was with my wife Cecilia drinking coffee in one of my favorite places in Belgrade when I received the news. It was in Belgrade that one cycle begun. It was there where the new one had to begin.

Eternally grateful on this great journey!