On 14 December 2022, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije and His Eminence Bishop of Bačka kyr Irinej took part in a forum under the topic "Academician Darko Tanasković – beacon of the Serbian intellectual aristocracy", which was organized by the Institute for Political Networking, and held in the "Youth Forum" Club of the Cultural Center of Novi Sad.

After the forum moderator Mr. Aleksandar Đurđev held an opening address, Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije addressed the gathering with an introductory address:

"Your Grace, Reverend Fathers, esteemed Mr. Professor, friend and brother Darko Tanasković; dear participants in the conversation on the creative opus, character and work of our Professor Tanasković; esteemed Mr. Mayor, brothers and sisters, I joyfully greet you all here in Novi Sad, in the Serbian Athens, in a city that has always been nurturing the highest spiritual and cultural values, which have been building the identity of our people throughout the centuries and, thank God, by building it – they have led it to the present day with fruits that certainly are something that draws the look of every well-intentioned person.

And the fact that today's gathering is being held here in Novi Sad makes a great joy for me. It is also a joy to be present here to discuss the work of Professor Darko Tanasković. For me, however, it is a kind of discomfort at the same time. Primarily because we can say, and I'm sure that we will also hear, countless praises addressed to the professor, and it is never simple to praise someone directly, in front of him – so to say, to his face. Although, of course, even that is always better than judging someone unfairly. But in the case of Professor Darko Tanasković, I think not only that he does not depend on praise, but he does not need it at all. By praising him, in fact, we are doing something that we need, which is to remind ourselves and encourage ourselves to follow the trail of values, the trail of feats, the trail and path of effort that Darko Tanasković made and continues to make, not because he personally has any benefits and interests from that, but, above all, out of love for his people, responsibility towards them, and – I dare to say as much as I know our dear Darko – also out of responsibility towards the gift he received from above, from God.

The discomfort, however, is also due to what I felt on another occasion before, and that was when I tried to write a few words of gratitude to Professor Darko Tanasković, at a time when he was an ambassador in the well-known international institution UNESCO, and when he did a very a lot so that something that is in the interest of our people does not happen for political reasons and with political goals initiated by factors, not to mention them, who wanted to devalue what is our heritage, to degrade what is the spiritual and cultural heritage of our people. Everything that I thought to write at that time seemed somehow both prosaic and pathetic, almost trivial compared to all the results and fruits of Professor Tanasković's feats. He worked in many fields, not only when it comes to representing of what is useful and good for our people on both the diplomatic and political levels. First of all, I am having in mind his scholarly work and especially the influence, reception and reflections that his scholarly work has on our public and, I can freely say, that it will have in the future in the life of our people. I feel the same tonight.

However, I ought to say that the name of Professor Tanasković is written in red letters in the catalogs, in the calendars of our history, our politics, our diplomacy, our science. At the same time, the Church already in its own way – due to everything mentioned, but also due to a lot of what we will probably hear tonight – paid tribute to Professor Tanasković by giving him the highest recognition she could give. She awarded him the Order of Saint Sava for everything that our Darko does in all the fields in which he works, in the fields of diplomacy, science, the written word, pedagogical work and so on. Professor Tanasković is also a very close associate of many of us in the Church, so don't mind what I say, he is also my personal associate, and his opinion and views are what the Church relies on in many matters. For example, I am sure that many people are aware that Professor Tanasković was one of the members, in addition to others who participated in a commission consisting of representatives of our Church and representatives of the Catholic Church in Croatia – whose aim was to discuss the personality of Stepinac and reach some conclusions. It is recognized that Professor Tanasković is an Orthodox Christian, but also that this is something that he does not put in the foreground, boasting about it, waving that fact like a flag and wanting to achieve additional legitimacy in the public. He does not parade his faith in public, but testifies to what he does, which is not only deeply thought out and for the benefit of the Serbian people, but what his faith is. It is also an expression of the ethical values contained in the Gospel of Christ. However, my role tonight is somewhat simpler than the participants of the conversation present here, who are all, more or less, friends and more than acquaintances of Professor Tanasković. My role is simpler in the sense that I will have the opportunity to hear the experiences, observations, and reflections of the interlocutors present here, as well as the privilege of hearing Professor Tanasković himself.

I, for my part, rejoice once again that we have gathered here in Novi Sad, and I invoke God's blessing on all of us present here, on all the people in Novi Sad, but on this evening especially on our dear professor Tanasković, with a prayer that God give strength and health to him and his family. Thank you!

After the welcoming words of the Serbian Patriarch, other present dignitaries and professors also addressed the gathering speaking about Professor Tanasković with fondness and cordiality.