Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Katherine was a guest speaker at the opening of 2017 General Assembly of the Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS) which took place in Crowne Plaza hotel.

The Serbian Coeliac Society was founded in year 2005, by a group of mothers with children suffering from coeliac disease and it has grown into a respectable organization that cooperates with a number of professional institutions in the field of health and food production. The society is from 2008, equal member of Association of European Coeliac Societies AOECS and this year in September is the main organizer of European Conference for Coeliac with delegates from 35 countries of European Union and region.

“I am very glad that your 31st General Assembly has a symposium dedicated to Serbian doctors who have patients with coeliac disease. My husband and are trying to help all who need help and especially the children. We are open for future cooperation, on various projects. I am glad our and Italian ministries of health are cooperating in fighting the coeliac disease. I’m very proud on work of my Foundation in recent period – our donations of medical equipment are worth 1,730,000 dollars. I hope everyone suffering from coeliac disease will have the adequate treatment and good quality of life”, said HRH Crown Princess Katherine in her addressing.

The Serbian Coeliac Society gathers patients with coeliac and members of their families with the main purpose to facilitate their everyday problems and improve quality of life. Celiac disease is an autoimmune, systemic disease, for which there is no specific treatment or a cure, but is regulated by special diet - gluten-free diet, which is for life.The main purpose of Society is to inform public about coeliac disease, as well as improving quality of life of patients and their families. Society, together with partners from AOESC takes part in control and process of marking gluten-free food products internationally recognized symbol crossed out wheat. 

The main purpose of this year’s Assembly is to raise awareness and knowledge for patients, professionals and the public about what they need to know about celiac disease, how to maintain health and proper conduct gluten-free diet and so on.