Srpsko društvo od druge polovine devetnaestog veka, pored brojnih konstanti, karakteriše niz diskontinuiteta i prevratničkih događaja koji su unosili konfuziju u društvene procese. I, najčešće, posle svih prevratničkih i ratnih događanja, a oni su bili skoro konstanta, veliki broj postradalog stanovništva, ponajčešće deca i nevoljni, bivao je ostavljen da tumara od nemila do nedraga, tražeći pomoć za puko preživljavanje. Budući da je socialna funkcija države najčešće zakazivala, ili nije bila dovoljno razvijena, socijalno svesni i odgovorni pojedinci i njihova udruženja, pokušavala su da svojim humanim i karitativnim radom donekle ublaže bol i patnju unesrećenih.

Od vremena srpsko-turskog rata 1875. godine, rukovođeni krilaticom „Svi smo braća“, koju je u nemoći i magnovenju ratnog pokolja, izrekao Anri Dinan, kasniji osnivač međunarodne organizacije Crvenog krsta, filantropski i humanizmom rukovođeni društveno uzdignuti i profesionalno dokazani srpski prvaci svoga vremena, sledeći tradiciju solidarnosti koja je imanentna socijalnoj i kulturnoj tradiciji srpskog društva, neprekidno su iskazivali svoj odnos prema svima onima koji su najviše bili ugroženi, ili su bili na društvenim marginama.

Otuda nije slučajno da je i inicijator osnivanja srpskog društva Crvenog krsta bio lekar Vladan Đorđević, potekao iz kruga socijalno odgovornih građana, rukovođen Dinanovom krilaticom da su svi ljudi braća. U plejadi takvih, filatropskih i iskreno humanih ljudi koji nisu ostajali ni nemi, ni slepi na nesreće nevoljnih, nalazili su se i dr Svetomir Nikolajević, profesor velike Škole, Kornel Draškoci, apotekar, Đorđe Milovanović, slikar, Mihajlo Valtrović, profesor Velike škole i direktor Narodnog muzeja, Emiljan Josimović, prvi beogradski urbanista, Mića Ljubibratić, jedan od prvaka hercegovačkih ustanaka, dr Laza Paču, lekar i kasniji dugogodišnji ministar finansija, Sreten Stojković, visoki činovnik Ministarstva prosvete i nacionalni radnik.

Pored Crvenog krsta i njegove aktivnosti, svi oni, ali i brojni drugi, bili su neumorni u pružanju pomoći nevoljnima, osnivajući humanitarna društva i organizacije privatne inicijative, poput fondova „Setimo se otadžbine“, „Za udovice i siročad“, invalidskog fonda „Sveti Đorđe“, društva „Kralj Dečanski“ koje je brinulo o slepoj deci i njihovom osposobljavanju za život. U svim tim društvima nezaobilazno je ime Đorđa Vajferta, industrijalca, guvernera Narodne banke i humaniste, koji je uvek bio rukovođen motom da je „Brat mio koje vere bio“.

Teško je ukratko pobrojati njegove, i njegovih istomišljenika, dobrotvorne i filantropske aktivnosti, ali je jedan od upečatljivih pokazatelja nesebičnosti i solidarnosti i podatak da je za vreme balkanskih ratova „razdavan je puna četiri meseca dobro pečen hleb na 43.330 siromašne dečice i 18.400 starih i nemoćnih lica“.

I u periodu između dva svetska rata i Đorđe Vajfert, ali i hotelijer Dušan Miličević, industrijalac Vasa U. Jovanović, profesori univerziteta braća Bogdan i Pavle Popović, Kosta Stojanović, Ljubomir Stojanović, Vladimir Ćorović, predsednici beogradske opštine Kosta Kumanudi i Miloš Savčić, Jovan Dučić i brojni drugi, nastavili su da organizovano, kroz brojna humanitarna društva da pomažu vođeni iskrenom i ljudskom solidarnošću, koja im nije dozvoljavala da zaborave sve one koji su bili zaboravljeni, a bila im je potrebna pomoć.

Humanitarno društvo „Nezaboravak“ je i osnovano da jedan od brojnih diskontinuiteta prekine, da ne zaboravi sve one kojima je pomoć, ne samo države, neophodna i koja će im pokazati da ljudska, humanistička solidarnost jeste konstanta civilizovanog trenutka, jeste konstanta ljudi koji ne misle samo o sebi i svojim interesima, jeste konstanta socijalno odgovornih pojedinaca koji to čine iz najdubljih filantropskih poriva i sa željom da se probudi osećaj kod svih koji slična osećanja imaju i da se organizovanije nego do sada posvećuju davanju, a ne uzimanju.

Humanitarno društvo „Nezaboravak“ ne zaboravlja ni sve one na čijim svetlim delima zasniva svoju delatnost, okupljajući ljude dobre volje, ljude sa čvrsto iskazanim principima nesebičnosti i humanizma. Kao društvo koje se nalazi u transformaciji i brojnim socijalnim traumama, kakvo je srpsko društvo danas, „Nezaboravak“ organizovano počinje da deluje, pored niza drugih nevladinih organizacija, u punoj svesti da će i država sa svojim institucijama prepoznati značaj ovakvih aktivnosti i svojim zakonskim rešenjima činiti Srbiju socijalno stabilnijom i odgovornijom zajednicom. Solidarnost sa nevoljnima svih vrsta i kategorija je imperativ humanitarnog društva „Nezaboravak“, a najvažnije je da svako od nas svakoga dana učini po nešto što će vratiti osmeh na lica dece kojima je pomoć i najpotrebnija.

 

Povertak na početnu stranu

Serbian society from the second half of the 19th century, besides numerous constants, is characterized by a series of discontinuities and revolutionary events that brought confusion to social processes. Often, after all the revolutionary and war events – which were almost constant – a large number of suffering people, mostly children and the helpless, were left wandering from one place to another, seeking help for mere survival. Since the social function of the state often failed or was not sufficiently developed, socially conscious and responsible individuals and their associations attempted to alleviate the pain and suffering of the unfortunate through their humane and charitable work.

Since the time of the Serbian-Turkish War in 1875, guided by the motto "We are all brothers," which was uttered by Henri Dunant in the helplessness and shock of the war massacre, later the founder of the international organization Red Cross, philanthropic and humanistic Serbian leaders of their time, following the tradition of solidarity inherent in the social and cultural tradition of Serbian society, continuously demonstrated their attitude towards all those who were most endangered or marginalized in society.

Hence, it is not a coincidence that the initiator of the founding of the Serbian Red Cross Society was the physician Vladan Đorđević, who originated from a circle of socially responsible citizens, guided by Dunant's motto that all people are brothers. Among such philanthropic and genuinely humane individuals who were not silent or blind to the misfortunes of the needy were also Dr. Svetomir Nikolajević, a professor at the Great School, Kornel Draškoci, a pharmacist, Đorđe Milovanović, a painter, Mihajlo Valtrović, a professor at the Great School and the director of the National Museum, Emilijan Josimović, the first urban planner of Belgrade, Mića Ljubibratić, one of the leaders of the Herzegovinian uprisings, Dr. Laza Paču, a physician and later a longtime Minister of Finance, Sreten Stojković, a high official in the Ministry of Education and a national worker.

In addition to the Red Cross and its activities, all of them, as well as many others, were tireless in providing aid to the unfortunate, establishing humanitarian societies and privately initiated organizations, such as the funds "Remembering the Homeland," "For Widows and Orphans," the disability fund "St. George," and the society "King Dečanski," which took care of blind children and prepared them for life. In all of these societies, the name of Đorđe Vajfert, an industrialist, the governor of the National Bank, and a humanist, was essential. He was always guided by the motto, "All brothers, regardless of faith."

It is challenging to summarize his and his like-minded individuals' charitable and philanthropic activities, but one striking indicator of their selflessness and solidarity is the fact that during the Balkan Wars, "well-baked bread was distributed for four months to 43,330 impoverished children and 18,400 elderly and infirm individuals."

Even in the period between the two World Wars, Đorđe Vajfert, along with hotelier Dušan Miličević, industrialist Vasa U. Jovanović, university professors the brothers Bogdan and Pavle Popović, Kosta Stojanović, Ljubomir Stojanović, Vladimir Ćorović, mayors of Belgrade Kosta Kumanudi and Miloš Savčić, Jovan Dučić, and many others, continued to organize, through numerous humanitarian societies, to assist those in need, guided by sincere and human solidarity that prevented them from forgetting all those who were forgotten but in need of help.

The humanitarian society "Nezaboravak" was also founded to break one of the many discontinuities and to not forget all those who require help, not just from the state but from society as well. It aims to show that humanistic solidarity is a constant of civilized moments and individuals who do not think only of themselves and their interests, a constant of socially responsible individuals who act from the deepest philanthropic motives and with the desire to awaken similar feelings in all those who possess such sentiments, so that they can be more organized than before in giving, not taking.

The humanitarian society "Nezaboravak" does not forget all those on whose bright deeds its activities are based, gathering people of goodwill and those with firmly expressed principles of selflessness and humanism. As a society in transformation and facing numerous social traumas, as is Serbian society today, "Nezaboravak" starts to act in an organized manner, alongside various other non-governmental organizations, fully aware that the state, with its institutions, will recognize the significance of such activities and, through its legal solutions, make Serbia a more socially stable and responsible community. Solidarity with all kinds and categories of the unfortunate is the imperative of the humanitarian society "Nezaboravak," and it is crucial that each of us does something every day to bring a smile to the faces of children in dire need of help.

 

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