On November 12th, 2021, the second annual Serbian Philanthropic Gala was held in New York’s iconic Gotham Hall. At the Gala, the Serbian Philanthropic Association recognized and supported individuals and organizations in Serbia and the diaspora whose charitable work has advanced the spirit of philanthropy.
Second Serbian Philanthropic Gala. Photo by Srđan Kalinić
Second Serbian Philanthropic Gala. Photo by Aleksandar Spasojević
This year’s Awards for Philanthropic Action were given to the Serbian-American Medical Association (SAMA) for its humanitarian efforts among the Serbian diaspora and to the organization “Živojin Mišić” for its innovative philanthropic work in Serbia. Oncologist Dr. Ivan Aksentijević, founder and president of SAMA and Zoran Mladenović, vice president of SAMA, attended the Gala to accept the recognition for SAMA, which has been helping to procure medical devices and equipment for hospitals and medical centers across Serbia since 2009. Representatives of “Živojin Mišić”, Tamara Mihajlović and Tatjana Marković, accepted their recognition via a recorded message that also highlighted the organization’s projects which focus on developing the entrepreneurial spirit and promoting education.
Award recipients Zoran Mladenović and Dr. Ivan Aksentijević with actress Sonja Kovačević
Through generous donations and a charitable auction, the Gala raised $70,200 that will allow 200 students to attend IT Bootcamp, a free school for people looking to transition to careers in the booming IT sector in Serbia. “On behalf of the IT Bootcamp team and the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, thank you to everyone who helped raise these funds and gathered around the Serbian Philanthropic Association. In January 2022, IT Bootcamp will enter its fifth year of operation, thanks primarily to donations from people in the diaspora. So far, 1,119 students have enrolled in the school, of which over 500 have successfully found a job or internship in domestic and foreign IT companies in Serbia. We appreciate everyone’s trust and support and the motivation to further the successful work of our school”, said Barbara Petrović, manager of the IT Bootcamp school.
President of the Serbian Philanthropic Association Petar Markovic. Photo by Srdjan Kalinic
“We are delighted to celebrate the work of these organizations and help advance the sense of service and optimism they exemplify. The event not only provided attendees the opportunity to get to know each other, build relationships and rally around noble causes, but also raised enough funds to provide free training for 200 new students of the non-profit IT Bootcamp school,” said Petar Marković, Chairperson of the Board and one of the founders of the Serbian Philanthropic Association, adding, “we are grateful to donors of auction items, including world-renowned athletes Nikola Jokić and Bogdan Bogdanović who donated signed jerseys, as well as Novak Djoković whose signed racquet from Wimbledon 2021 raised the most funds during the evening’s silent auction.”
Organizing team of the second Serbian Philanthropic Gala with actors Nikola Đuričko and Sonja Kovačević
Over 400 guests attended the gala to celebrate the spirit of philanthropy. The event featured performances by New York based musical duo Srdjan and Vukan, guitarist Nikola Stajić and Boston-based 2Funky band with vocalists Nevena Djordjević and Ilija Mihailović, and US national dance champions Miroslav Misha Randjelovic and Dakota Pizzi. Actor Nikola Djuričko and Gordana Jelić were hosts of the evening.
Ljiljana i Nikola Đuričko. Photo by Dušan Jović
Dacota Pizzi and Miroslav Misa Randjelovic. Photo by Nikola Veljic
The Serbian Philanthropic Gala is organized by the Serbian Philanthropic Association, a non-profit, non-political, and non-religious organization based in New York. The association’s mission is to make a lasting positive impact on the Serbian community by creating events and opportunities that celebrate contributions, spark ideas and inspire action.
For more information see: https://serbianphilanthropicassociation.org/.
See also: https://zivojinmisic.rs/, https://serbianama.org/, https://itbootcamp.rs/, https://www.divac.com/.