EXPO 2027 Belgrade mascots named Rastko and Milica

BELGRADE - The mascots of Specialised EXPO 2027 Belgrade have been named Rastko and Milica, EXPO 2027 Belgrade Director Danilo Jerinic announced on Thursday.

At a ceremony, Jerinic said the two names had received nearly 100,000 votes in an online vote to name a male and a female mascot of the event.

Rastko and Milica was one of three name pairs that qualified for the final of the vote in September, alongside Sava and Nada and Momcilo and Tamara.

The vote was extended due to great public interest.

The name Rastko symbolises growth, progress and innovation - the main themes of the expo, while the name Milica represents warmth, kindness and harmony, which are also values Serbia is seeking to promote as a host connecting people.

Besides, both are historic Serbian names, being references to Rastko Nemanjic and Princess Milica.

The national costumes worn by the mascots represent an additional link with Serbia's cultural identity.