The Palace of Science – Miodrag Kostić Endowment welcomed a delegation from the United Arab Emirates, comprising representatives of the UAE Ministry of Youth, the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Serbia.
The delegation was led by H.E. Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of Youth of the United Arab Emirates and the first Arab astronaut to conduct a spacewalk, and H.E. Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. The visit also included astronauts Hazza AlMansoori, the first UAE astronaut to visit the International Space Station, and Mohammed AlMulla, UAE astronaut, as well as H.E. Ahmed Almenhali, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Serbia.
During the visit, the guests were introduced to the mission of the Palace of Science, the history of the former Adriatic-Danube Bank building, and its transformation into a contemporary centre dedicated to science, technology, and education. They had the opportunity to explore exhibits connecting science, technology, robotics, and space exploration, and to watch a film screening about the Solar System in the planetarium. A special moment of the visit was the encounter between the UAE astronauts and the exhibit simulating the landing of a spacecraft on the Moon, giving the topic of space exploration additional meaning through the experience of people directly involved in contemporary space missions.
The visit was also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Youth of the Republic of Serbia, including Zoran Tomić, Adviser to the Minister for Science, and Ivana Antonijević, Acting Assistant Minister.
During the visit, the UAE astronauts emphasized that the path to great goals can be long and challenging, but that curiosity, knowledge, and perseverance open up possibilities that once seemed unattainable. This is precisely why the existence of centres such as the Palace of Science – Miodrag Kostić Endowment is so important: spaces of encounter that inspire new generations of researchers.