Serbian Youth League
Encyclopedia
Serbian Youth League is a registered non-profit organization
, with the purpose of bringing Serbian
youth together and promoting Serbian culture
in the world, cultivating interest in Serbian heritage, and organizing events that relate to Serbian culture in Serbia
and the Serbian Diaspora. It was founded in 2008.
Currently there are 4 regional chapters of the Serbian Youth League. Those include the Canadian
cities of Toronto
, Vancouver
, Calgary
and Montreal
. The goal of the Serbian Youth League in Canada is to serve the interests of the Serbian and Canadian people, and promote Serbian-Canadian friendship - their official motto is "Strength in Unity".
Members of the Serbian Youth League of Toronto
organized a protest against Kosovo
's declaration of independence on February 23, 2008. More than a thousand demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. consulate in downtown Toronto. Waving Serbian flags and chanting "Kosovo is Serbia", the peaceful crowd listened to impassioned speeches about their homeland and lit candles before marching up University Ave. to circle Queen's Park. The protesters also spoke out against U.S. support for the new status of Kosovo.
On February 24, 2008, the Serbian Youth League of Vancouver
organized the largest Serbian protest since the protests against the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. Serbian flags and protest placards dotted a crowd of about 1000 who rallied in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery against Kosovo's breakaway move.
On the same day, the Serbian Youth League of Montreal
organized a similar event. Close to 200 demonstrators marched through downtown Montreal before holding a vocal but peaceful rally in front of the U.S. consulate. Several speakers criticized countries like the U.S., France and Germany for quickly endorsing Kosovo's break from Serbia. Several supporters from the Greek Orthodox community also joined in the protest as they, like Serbians, trace their spiritual roots to medieval Kosovo.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, with the purpose of bringing Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
youth together and promoting Serbian culture
Serbian culture
Serbian culture refers to the culture of Serbia and of ethnic Serbs.The Serbian culture starts with that of the South Slavic peoples that lived in the Balkans. Early on, Serbs may have been influenced by the Paleo-Balkan peoples...
in the world, cultivating interest in Serbian heritage, and organizing events that relate to Serbian culture in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and the Serbian Diaspora. It was founded in 2008.
Currently there are 4 regional chapters of the Serbian Youth League. Those include the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
cities of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. The goal of the Serbian Youth League in Canada is to serve the interests of the Serbian and Canadian people, and promote Serbian-Canadian friendship - their official motto is "Strength in Unity".
Purposes of the Serbian Youth League
The purposes of the Serbian Youth League:- To unite the Serbian youth in the "Kosovo is Serbia" movement, to respect and promote international law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia, to educate people about the tragedy of the Serbian people in KosovoKosovoKosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and to promote good Serbian relations with the world community in relation to the Kosovo issue. - To unite Serbian and other youths who appreciate Serbian culture in a society.
- To promote awareness of and involvement with Serbian life, culture and tradition within local communities and beyond.
- To provide a forum for Serbian youth and all those who are interested in Serbian culture to exchange ideas and share experiences.
- To familiarize youth of other nationalities with Serbian life, culture, and tradition.
- To establish and maintain educational, cultural and information resources on Serbia and Serbian lands for students and faculty of high schools, colleges, universities, as well as members of the community.
- To provide recreational and social activities for its Members.
Activism
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
organized a protest against Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
's declaration of independence on February 23, 2008. More than a thousand demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. consulate in downtown Toronto. Waving Serbian flags and chanting "Kosovo is Serbia", the peaceful crowd listened to impassioned speeches about their homeland and lit candles before marching up University Ave. to circle Queen's Park. The protesters also spoke out against U.S. support for the new status of Kosovo.
On February 24, 2008, the Serbian Youth League of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
organized the largest Serbian protest since the protests against the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. Serbian flags and protest placards dotted a crowd of about 1000 who rallied in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery against Kosovo's breakaway move.
On the same day, the Serbian Youth League of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
organized a similar event. Close to 200 demonstrators marched through downtown Montreal before holding a vocal but peaceful rally in front of the U.S. consulate. Several speakers criticized countries like the U.S., France and Germany for quickly endorsing Kosovo's break from Serbia. Several supporters from the Greek Orthodox community also joined in the protest as they, like Serbians, trace their spiritual roots to medieval Kosovo.