Veselin Vesko Mijajloviću was awarded in Trieste on May 23, 2025

"TRIDENTE D΄ ORO" for contributing to the preservation of human lives, the safety of maritime routes, for the education of new generations of divers and demining experts, for enabling regions to be freed from deadly threats from the past and for the protection of underwater ecosystems from destruction and giving a true example of humanitarian engagement with decades of experience in neutralizing explosive devices in waters around the world"

The "Golden Trident" ("Tridente d'Oro") award is awarded by the International Academy of Underwater Sciences and Techniques (Accademia Internazionale di Scienze e Techniche Subacquee/The International Academy of Underwater Sciences and Techniques).

In the representative hall of the Palace of the Autonomous Region in Trieste, the Golden Trident award was presented by the president of the Academy, Paolo Ferraro, who stated in the explanation of the award:

"Veselin Mijajlović is one of the leading experts in the field of underwater demining, with decades of experience in neutralizing explosive devices in waters around the world. His work is not only a technical feat, but also an act of altruism and humanity, as it provides a safer life for communities affected by the remnants of war. His commitment to the preservation of human life and the safety of maritime routes, together with the training of new generations of divers and demining experts, make him not only a hero in his field, but also a true example of humanitarian dedication. Thanks to his work, many regions have been freed from the deadly threats of the past, and underwater ecosystems have been protected from destruction."

The International Academy of Underwater Sciences and Techniques was founded in 1960.

It gathered all the winners of the Golden Trident Award, which is considered the "Nobel Prize for Undersea Activities".

It is the highest world award for excellence in scientific, research, educational, technical, technological, hyperbaric, informative and artistic and sports activities.

Up to this day, more than 200 famous people have been awarded the Golden Trident, such as Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Walt Disney, Folco Quilici, Jacques Piccard, Enzo Maiorca, Prince Albert II of Monaco, but also numerous lesser-known scientists, researchers, professors and journalists who excelled in their field of work at the international level.

Vesko Mijajlović has spent almost four decades in the field of training professional and sports divers and he is the initiator of the establishment and director of the Regional Center for Underwater Demining and Diver Training - RCUD from Bijela from 2002 to 2025. The Government of Montenegro founded this Center in 2002, which became globally known as one of the most authoritative in the field of humanitarian underwater demining.