Arnaud Gouillon

Arno Gujon (, ; born 27 November 1985) is a French-born Serbian politician and humanitarian worker. He is the founder of '' Solidarité Kosovo'', a French non-governmental humanitarian organization that helps Serbs living in enclaves in Kosovo. He served as acting director of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and the Serbs in the Region in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia between November 2020 and May 2024. He has served as Director of the Office of Public and Cultural Diplomacy Since May 2024.

In 2015, he received Serbian citizenship and a Serbian passport, which was delivered to him at an official ceremony in the Palace of Serbia by the Serbian Minister of the Interior, Nebojša Stefanović. In 2018, he received the Order of St. Sava of first degree from the Serbian Orthodox Church. He is author of the book, "All My Roads Lead to Serbia" (in Serbian: ''"Svi moji putevi vode ka Srbiji"''). He joined the Serbian Progressive Party in 2023.

Early life and education

Gujon was born on November 27, 1985, in Grenoble (France). His interest in Serbian-French relations were fostered by his grandfather who spoke about the two countries' cooperation, particularly during WWI. His views were further shaped during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, which he felt was unjustified. When Anti-Serb pogroms broke out in Kosovo in March 2004, he decided to provide assistance to affected Serb families. At the age of nineteen, he founded the humanitarian organization " Solidarity for Kosovo" with the aim of helping the Serbian community and other national minorities living in enclaves in Kosovo. Since 2011, he has served as the NGO's director.

He completed his elementary education in his hometown of Jarrie and his secondary education in Vizille. In 2002, he enrolled in the Faculty of Physics with an optional Master of Mathematics at the University of Grenoble. In 2004, he passed the examination for admission to the Engineering Polytechnic School of the University of Grenoble, majoring in Ecology and Risk Prevention. In 2007, he obtained a Master's Degree with the title of engineer at the age of 22, in the field of "environmental protection". In 2012 he attended a Master of Political Science at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, majoring in "Political System of Serbia and Institutions".

Career

Between 2007 and 2010 he worked as an engineer at L'Oréal in Paris, at the Chamber of Commerce in Bordeaux, as a professor of physics at a French school in Cairo and as a quality coordinator in Zvornik (Republika Srpska) for Studen-Prom, a company exporting frozen food products to France.

Humanitarian work

Gujon makes regular appearances in French media dealing with the topic of humanitarian assistance in Kosovo. He produced a documentary, "Kosovo, Christianity at Risk", about the life of the Serbian people in Kosovo, which aired on the French television channel KTO and Radio Television of Serbia. The film was awarded as the best performance at the Zaječar Documentary Spiritual Film Festival and at the 2018 International Orthodox Film Festival in Kruševac.

Solidarity for Kosovo

His humanitarian work began with the creation in 2004 of the charity NGO Solidarity for Kosovo, which was founded in response to the anti-Serb unrest that afflicted Kosovo on March 17 and 18, 2004. He came to Serbia for the first time in 2005 with his brother Bertrand and two friends bringing the humanitarian aid gathered in France. Gouillon's brothers’ small student organization quickly grew into one of the largest charities operating in the Balkans. The NGO's core mission is to provide assistance exclusively to the Serbian, Orthodox Christian community of Kosovo. In 2012, he is quoted by a French newspaper, saying: "I started as a humanitarian in order to support Serbian Christians being deprived of their land by the Muslims". However, according to the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, from 2011 to 2015, ''Solidarity for Kosovo'' has allegedly spent more money on collecting funds rather than performing its mission of local level actions.

With the support of over 12,000 donors from all over France, and without any State or European sponsorship, ''Solidarity for Kosovo'' has organized over 44 humanitarian aid vehicles and funded dozens of projects in the areas of education, health and agriculture in cooperation with the Diocese of Raška-Prizren. In cooperation with the Soup Kitchen "Majka Devet Jugovića", it funded the construction of five farms, one dairy, one plant for the pasteurization of fruits and vegetables, it built dozens of greenhouses and purchased hundreds of animals such as cows, sheep and goats, as well as agricultural machines for the local Serbian enclaves.

Working with children and humanitarian projects for children is also one of the priorities of ''Solidarity for Kosovo''. From 2012 to date, it has renovated 34 schools, took hundreds of children for the first time to the seaside, and helped operate two maternity wards, one hospital and four health centers.

The total worth of the assistance provided by Solidarity for Kosovo to socially disadvantaged families living in the Serbian enclaves in Kosovo and Metohija exceeds €5.5 million.

Social and cultural involvement

In addition to his humanitarian work, Arnaud Gouillon is very active in the social and cultural areas. In 2016, he was invited to be one of the participants in the campaign "Let's cherish the Serbian language", sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, with the aim of "cultivating and protecting the Serbian language, alphabet, general linguistic culture and literacy". Two years later, he became the trademark and the leader of the Speech Culture Caravan, which organizes trainings and panels for young people across Serbia and Republika Srpska.

He is a frequent guest of the different Institutes of Culture, Universities and Secondary Schools from Serbia and Republika Srpska, that invite him to talk about his experience in the field of humanitarian work and social involvement, but also on philosophical topics such as the symbol of life, humanism, justice. From 2012 to the present, he has delivered over one hundred lectures and panels in the Serbian language.

Aware that in addition to the Kosovo issue, one of the biggest challenges for Serbia is the departure of young people abroad, he founded the INOMS Association in Belgrade in 2016 (Initiative for Birthrate and Staying of the Young People in Serbia – in Serbian: Inicijativa za Natalitet i Ostanak Mladih u Srbiji). The aim of this association is to encourage young people to stay in Serbia through positive and successful examples from Serbia, as well as with the demystification of an idealized life abroad.

Political involvement

When he was 24 years old, in 2010, Arnaud Gouillon tried to get 500 signatures from mayors so he could run in the French presidential election two years later. He did so on the behalf of several far-right movements, including the Bloc Identitaire, known for its support to European nationalist parties and opposition to immigration, of which the young Arnaud Gouillon was a member. Following this experience, he devoted himself to his humanitarian work.

Since 26 November 2020, Gujon is serving as the acting director of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and the Serbs in the Region in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia. He has been accused of using his new position as a cover for political activities and propaganda, while remaining active in radical nationalist and pro-Kremlin circles both in France and Serbia.

He served as the Acting Director of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and the Serbs in the Region within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia between November 2020 and May 2024. He has served as Director of the Office of Public and Cultural Diplomacy Since May 2024.

He joined the Serbian Progressive Party in 2023 and will be its MP candidate in the 2023 parliamentary election.

Publications

In Serbia

He published the book, "All My Roads Lead to Serbia," explaining the reasons that led him to support Serbs in Kosovo as well as his move to Belgrade. He also describes Serbia from a foreigner's perspective, pointing out that Serbia is "at the beginning of a significant phase in its history, at the beginning of a new historical journey. The challenges are serious, but it will resist them. There is a lot to build, a lot to be preserved. From this alchemical process a modern Serbia will emerge, based on its traditional foundations. Because Serbia, like all the old countries, is the roots without which nothing would make sense, but it is also the wings with which Serbia will fly and overcome what exists now."

In France

He participated in writing and publishing of three books in French on Serbia and Kosovo:

* 2013. Au cœur de l'Europe Martyre (Édition L'Age d'Homme)
* 2016. Peuples persécutés d'Orient (Édition du Rocher)
* 2020. A la Serbie - ouvrage collectif dirigé par Luc Luret (Edition un infini cercle bleu)

Arno Gouillon is the editor of the NGO's magazine which is published in France every three months in 13,000 copies. Following the publication of an article 10 pages long in the prominent Figaro Magazine, in June 2019, he received, along with the deputy director of Le Figaro, threats and insults from Albanians and pro-Albanian French journalists.

Private life

Gouillon is married to Ivana Gajić. His wife is of Serbian origin, born in France, with whom he has three children. In addition to his native language French, he speaks Serbian, English and Russian. He has been practicing kickboxing, roller skating and skiing since his early youth.

Acknowledgments and decorations

Decorations

* 2016. Gold Medal for Outstanding Merits in the Field of Humanitarian Work, granted by the President of the Republic of Serbia Tomislav Nikolić
* 2018. Decoration of Saint Bishop Nikolai, highest decoration of the Eparchy of Šabac "for his great love for the Serbian people in Kosovo and for his humanitarian work"
* 2018. Decoration of Saint Sava of the First Degree from the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Irinej "for the effective love shown by his wholehearted and selfless efforts in gathering and providing the necessary material and financial assistance for our Holy Church and the suffering people in Kosovo, as well as for the continuous witnessing of the truth about the life of our people in this Serbian province. Reality: Kosovo is since 2008 an independent country. "

Other awards

* 2012. Special award plaque for the noblest achievement of the year, awarded by Novosti
* 2015. Citizenship of the Republic of Serbia based on his merits, in the Palace of Serbia from the Minister of the Interior, Nebojša Stefanović
* 2017. "Branislav Mane Šakić" Award for preserving the Serbian language and cultivating the culture of speech in the electronic media.
* 2018. Charter of the Knight of Saint Sava Pacifism of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia for humanitarian work in Kosovo, as well as for the commitment in France to change the image of Serbia.
* 2022. "Cyrillic Grant" Award of the Cyrillic Heritage event in Bajina Bašta, for great contribution to the preservation of the Serbian national alphabet, opening of Serbian language schools abroad, assistance to schools in Kosovo and participation in The Caravan of the Culture of Speech.

References

Further reading

*

External links

Official biography of Arnaud Gouillon
on the website of the Office for cooperation with thediaspora and Serbs in the region

Solidarité Kosovo – Official presentation
for the Serbian daily ''Večernje Novosti''
Documentary for the Serbian National Television RTS - "Trag"
for the Serbian daily ''Večernje Novosti''
Interview
for the Serbian daily ''Politika''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gujon, Arno
1985 births
Living people
Recipients of the Order of St. Sava
21st-century French politicians
21st-century French people
Converts to Eastern Orthodoxy
Serbian Progressive Party politicians
Naturalized citizens of Serbia