Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation
Through the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, the Department of State is helping eligible countries around the globe preserve historic sites and manuscripts, museum collections, and traditional forms of music, dance, and language. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administers the Fund, established by Congress in 2001 to assist countries to preserve their cultural heritage.
The U.S. Congress, in approving funding for the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, noted, "By taking a leading role in efforts to preserve cultural heritage, we show our respect for other cultures." The American Embassy in Belgrade views this Fund as an important sign of the American people's respect for Serbian culture and of the strong friendship between the Serbian and American peoples.
The U.S. Embassy in Belgrade has helped fund four projects so far, three in Serbia and one in Montenegro.
Novi Pazar Mekhteb
In 2006, the American Embassy in Belgrade is helping to restore the elementary school or m ekhteb which sits next to the “Altun Alem” Mosque in Novi Pazar. The school was built in the early 16th century and is one of the oldest Islamic structures in Novi Pazar and in the region. Both the mosque and the mekhteb were originally constructed by the great Ottoman architect Muslihudin Abdulgani and although the mosque has fared well over the last several centuries the school has fallen into disrepair.
Through the Fund for Cultural Preservation and the generosity of the American people, the Embassy has donated $50,000 to restore the mekhteb. The project is expected to be completed in early 2007.
Orasac Memorial School
 The Memorial School in Orasac, built in 1933 by King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic as a tribute to the First Uprising and Duke Karadjordje, represents an example of traditional Serbian architecture and is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the country.
In May 2005, Ambassador Michael C. Polt visited the Memorial School in Orasac to mark the completion of the preservation of its loft and facade. The project was supported by the people of the United States, in honor of the 200th Anniversary of the First Serbian Uprising and the establishment of Serbian Statehood. Through the Fund for Cultural Preservation and the generosity of the American people, $24,450 was donated for the project.
Kotor Fortress
In 2003, the U.S. Embassy through the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Protection donated $30,600 for  the restoration of the lower ramparts of the historic Kotor Fortress, a site recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
The Kotor Fortress is situated on the banks of Kotor Bay, a natural harbor which in the Middle Ages served as an important artistic and commercial centre. Many of the monuments in Kotor, including the fortress, were damaged by the 1979 earthquake, but have since been restored with help from the international community, including UNESCO and the U.S. Government.
 Rakovica Monastery
The Rakovica Monastery, established in the 14th century as a monastery church, over the centuries has also housed a monastic school, the Belgrade Theological College, a women's monastery, and more recently, a sanctuary for refugees. The Monastery also contains valuable collections of religious icons and books.
1n 2001, the U.S. Embassy donated $17,000 for the reconstruction of the roof of the Rakovica Monastery. This project was the first one in Serbia following the 2001 creation of the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation. | 
