Belgrade, 1 September 2022 (MIA) - We have a lot to be proud of with what we have done as together we are showing we are not only part of the world, but we can also in competition and be better in various spheres of social life, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at the opening of “Wine Vision by Open Balkan”, the first international fair for wine, food and tourism taking place September 1-4 in Belgrade. He said he has visited many European fairs "but very few places in Europe have done it this good like the Open Balkan did in Belgrade." Vucic also said he was pleased that the Belgrade fair brings together wineries from Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, MIA's Belgrade correspondent reports. "Today, Belgrade and Open Balkan are the world's capital of wine and we welcome our guests with an open heart," the Serbian leader said. The event is held under the auspices of the governments of Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania. The Open Balkan region initiative is much more than economy, trade and politics, said Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. "Open Balkan is a product of peace that will be sustainable, a project of unity in peace with a vision for the future so that this small neighborhood in the heart of Europe will no longer suffer from the remnants of the past, but to become the place of the future for our youth," he said at the opening. The choice we have is simple, Rama said. "We can either stay here and be together in the same European neighborhood trying to make it more peaceful for our people or we can throw rocks at each other, which we have been doing for year." The Albanian PM also said that the Wine Vision by Open Balkan fair is at high European level. The first international fair of wine, food and tourism “Wine Vision by Open Balkan”, organized as part the Open Balkan initiative, is taking place in Belgrade Thursday through Sunday. Over 330 participants from 22 countries are set to participate in the event, held under the auspices of the governments of Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, including 47 from North Macedonia. Exhibitors from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, France, Italy, Romania, Moldova, Chile, Argentina, South Africa will also take part.