The UN’s Youth Climate Summit provided a platform for young leaders to showcase their solutions and meaningfully engage with decision-makers. The event took place as a lead up to the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit and the United Nations General Assembly this week. 28. Jun’s Nicole Vicentic had the honor of attending and sharing perspectives from the Western Balkans. As her team lead, Nicole addressed Liz Rodgers, VP of Sustainable Product at Nike, and discussed some of the challenges and opportunities to enabling circular apparel to reduce impact on the planet.

Several weeks ago, 28. Jun’s delegation of Filip Filipi and Hristina Radonjic were at the 68th United Nations Civil Society Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah representing interests of the Serbian Diaspora. This was the premier UN event on the NGO calendar. ~5,000 civil society representatives from around the world were in attendance. The international forum also brought together senior UN System officials, prominent international civil society organizations, academicians, public opinion makers and international media to discuss issues of global concern.

28. Jun is the first humanitarian organization from the Western Balkans to be granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council. With an estimated 10 million NGOs in the world, less than .0005%, or 4500, have achieved Consultative Status.

Jeffrey “Smitty” Smith, the DJ of international superstar Post Malone was honored in Vancouver, Canada for his contributions to humanitarian work in Serbia. He was presented with the ‘Humanitarian of the Year Award’ for 2019 from 28. Jun, one of the leading philanthropic organizations operating in the Western Balkans.

28. Jun President Filip Filipi thanked Smitty for using his social media reach to spread a recent fundraising drive which resulted in helping deliver a container with nearly $1 million worth of medical equipment and supplies to Serbia. The two have known each other for over a decade and collaborated musically in the late ’00s.

Post Malone is one of the most popular musicians in the world having sold 60 million records and is one of the most streamed artists of all time with over 10 billion streams. 28. Jun is an international humanitarian organization in Special Consultative Status with the UN which has delivered $7 million in aid to the Balkans.

The beginning of the school year carries with it significant expenditures for parents, with that in mind the aim of our action was to help families with severe financial problems so that the children could begin the new school year without added stress. Throughout the year, we receive a large number of requests from parents seeking the most basic school supplies (notebooks, pens, backpacks) and this number increases dramatically in September as school begins.

We are pleased to inform you that this year, our organization has provided ’28. Jun Nikola Tesla’ scholarships which consist of school materials for all Serbian children in the Knin municipality of Kistanje in Krajina. The joy and gratitude of both children and parents was more than evident.

In Herzegovina, at “Petar Petrovic Njegos” school in Bileca, we met our goal and provided 60 first-grade students with backpacks full of school supplies so our little ones have a happy start to their school year.
“Parents and children were delighted and I made a new friend which is the greatest gift. Apart from the fact that school supplies brings material help, it also shows parents they still have someone who thinks of them. To me personally, such actions restore confidence in people. That there is goodwill in people. People are generally good, but many times situations make them appear selfish and self-serving. I really thank Darko, and your directors and all the people of goodwill from your organization. May they be alive and well for many summers!“ —School teacher Miodrag Parezanin
The goal of our project was exactly what the teacher stated; to help the community regain trust in one another and that by example we can illuminate the path for future generations. We did not inherit this world from our parents, but rather we are borrowing it our children. Let’s leave something for them to remember!