Milan Radulović, the director of the Music Youth of Novi Sad and the Novi Sad Music Festivities, has been honoured with the French Order of Arts and Letters at the rank of Knight. The award ceremony took place at the French Embassy in Belgrade.
Pierre Cochard, the French Ambassador to Belgrade, lauded Radulović’s tireless efforts in building cultural bridges between France and Serbia. “You have been a relentless builder of cultural bridges between our two countries, and we are profoundly grateful for your faithful collaboration with the French Embassy and the French Institute in Serbia, as well as with numerous artists, orchestras, and institutions of our country,” Cochard stated during the award presentation.
Expressing his gratitude, Radulović highlighted the significance of the award in recognising the promotion of the highest values in the field of music. “By bestowing this honour, you have acknowledged the years of work and activities of an ostensibly small organisation and association. Yet, through its decades-long operation, promoting musical and theatrical content, numerous concerts, festivals, and events, and collaborating with institutions both domestically and internationally, it continues to spread and elevate the highest values in the field of artistic music,” Radulović remarked.
The embassy’s commendation noted Radulović’s three-decade-long contribution to strengthening ties between Serbia and the international community by organizing exceptional concerts to the delight of numerous audiences.
A passionate aficionado of French culture, Radulović has organized concerts and spectacles featuring a variety of musical genres—from classical, jazz, world music, to ballet and opera. Thanks to his efforts, Serbian audiences have enjoyed performances by artists such as Bojan Zulfikarpašić, Ami Flamer, Michel Arignon, Eric Le Sage, Christine Labadens, Katarina Jovanović, Nemanja Radulović, Richard Galliano, and many others.
Radulović has been a long-time collaborator with the French Institute in Serbia, helping to organize numerous concerts and musical events. He supported the organization of the Francophone Song Competition at the Novi Sad Synagogue from 2011 to 2015. The NOMUS festival, under his guidance, brought numerous French ballet performances and concerts to the Novi Sad audience.
Determined to introduce quality music to all generations, Radulović was a pioneer in organizing musical performances for children, allowing the youngest to enjoy stories like “Babar the Elephant,” “Peter and the Wolf,” and “Carnival of the Animals.”
His work has been recognized by numerous institutions, earning him accolades such as the Music Classics Magazine award, the Vojvodina Institute for Culture award, the 2016 City of Novi Sad award, and the 2018 Serbian National Theatre award.
Radulović’s myriad projects continue to contribute to the development of the local and international cultural scene, furthering the popularity of French, Francophone, European, and world music.
Photo: Embassy of France