On 20 February 2026, Institute for Balkan Studies SASA organized an academic round table with the participation of university professors from Italy

On 20 February 2026,  Institute for Balkan Studies SASA organized an academic round table with the participation of university professors from Italy. The discussion focused on two edited volumes published by the Institute: Catholic Church and Totalitarianism in Yugoslavia, 1941–1958 and Pope Pius XII and the Challenge of Totalitarianism in Yugoslavia, 1941–1958. These volumes are the result of three years of research conducted within the project “Pope Pius XII and the Challenge of Totalitarianism in Yugoslavia 1941 - 1958. POLITY” conducted under the IDEAS programme (project no. 7749803) at the Institute for Balkan Studies SASA, under the leadership of the institute’s director, principal research fellow Vojislav G. Pavlović.

The guests from Italy were Professors Luciano Monzali (University of Bari), Luca Riccardi (University of Cassino), Alberto Basciani (Roma Tre University), Antonio D’Alessandri (Roma Tre University), and Luca Lecis (University of Cagliari).

In a productive and dynamic discussion, the Italian colleagues examined the themes of the volumes from the perspective of Italian foreign policy, European international relations, and the global policy of the Holy See. The round table was held in a spirit of intensive scholarly exchange and contributed to strengthening international academic cooperation with Italian university centres. On this occasion, the Institute’s publications received highly favourable assessments from Italian scholars, further enhancing their international visibility and academic impact.