VIRTUS award for 2023
Corporate Philanthropy Award – MK Group
As part of its corporate social responsibility program Family Support, MK Group invested €350,000 in 2023 to renovate kindergartens in eight communities across Serbia, creating better conditions for young children and enabling educators to work more efficiently. The company also made a significant donation of over 20 million dinars to the Maternal Home in Kraljevo, supporting the adaptation, equipping, and operation of the home, which accommodates eight mothers with babies. The support program for mothers and babies further aided pregnant women and new mothers lacking basic conditions for childcare. MK Group also actively supports Family Support Centers in Niš and Raška. Thanks to these initiatives, 114 families were able to stay together and secure essential conditions for the safe upbringing of their children.
Small and Medium Enterprise Award – Homa Fine Dining and Bistrot
The owners and employees of Homa Fine Dining and Bistrot have been actively participating in humanitarian actions for many years, volunteering and donating clothing, food, and other goods to vulnerable groups. At the end of the previous year, the Homa team organized a lunch event, donating 40 meals to the employees of the organization Liceulice. This initiative, which brought together Homa Bistro employees and Liceulice magazine vendors, became an inspiration for similar actions.
Long-Term Partnership between Business and Civil Sector Award – DP Zaliv
For fifteen years, DP Zaliv has collaborated with the Plava Ptica Association from Kula, supporting children and adults with developmental disabilities through a series of events titled New Year’s Magic. In 2023, the company organized the 15th traditional Magic, providing not only entertainment but also donating New Year’s gift packages for children and adults. DP Zaliv employees actively participate in organizing the event, with the number of donated gifts ranging between 120 and 150 annually. Beyond the New Year’s Magic event, DP Zaliv also services the association’s vehicles and provides free transportation of goods to the organization when needed.
Individual Philanthropy Award – Miroslav Đorđević
Miroslav Đorđević from Novi Sad is a dedicated manager of the Tate Novosađani Foundation. Through his initiative and collaboration with other fathers and their families, Miroslav carries out numerous humanitarian activities focused on supporting children’s medical treatments, providing therapeutic aids, assisting socially disadvantaged citizens, and distributing New Year’s gifts to children in rural schools. His efforts encompass collecting food, firewood, and medical funds, donating to soup kitchens, renovating homes, supporting farmers, and organizing humanitarian tournaments and performances. He actively engages the community through a Facebook group with over 12,500 members, receiving support in these endeavours from his wife Jovana.
Young Philanthropist Award – Andrea Ćirić
Andrea Ćirić, born in Kraljevo, is 27 years old and lives and works in Belgrade. Her philanthropic journey began four years ago with the organization of a birthday party with a humanitarian purpose. Instead of traditional gifts, Andrea asked her guests to donate money to those in need. Four years ago, she used the collected funds to support the Pediatrics Department of the Kraljevo Hospital, and in 2023, she directed the donations to support a newly established association in Kraljevo that aids people with autism. Through her selfless actions, Andrea has achieved multiple goals — providing direct benefits to individuals with autism, encouraging broader community engagement in philanthropy, and supporting socially vulnerable groups, thereby creating a positive impact on the local community.
Thematic Focus Award for Corporate Contribution to Women and Girls’ Empowerment – Vega IT
Through its commitment to socially responsible initiatives, Vega IT from Novi Sad highlights its dedication to supporting women in engineering positions and promoting gender equality in the IT industry. The Women in Engineering initiative, carried out in 2023, represents one of the steps towards achieving these goals. Through this campaign, Vega IT conducted a series of activities aimed at encouraging girls to pursue careers in engineering. In line with this goal, the company awarded six scholarships to high school and university students pursuing IT studies. Additionally, the company supports women’s shelters in several Serbian cities and donates software solutions to women’s organizations fighting gender-based violence and human trafficking.
Thematic Focus Award for Individual Contribution to Women and Girls’ Empowerment – Jovana Ružičić
Jovana Ružičić from Belgrade, the director and founder of the Centar za mame , provides exceptional contributions to empowering women and mothers across the country. Over the past year, she launched the inspiring Women’s Solidarity Fund initiative aimed at supporting women in crisis. To date, Jovana has brought together 43 women donors for the fund, whose monthly contributions reached nearly one million dinars in one year. The fund has helped 12 women facing severe financial difficulties that prevented them from meeting their basic needs. Jovana stays in regular contact with each supported woman, and donors receive updates on how the funds have been used and who has received assistance. Additionally, she initiated the establishment of an Alimony Fund, from which unpaid child support would be disbursed monthly. She submitted a draft law on the functioning of this fund to the relevant authorities, prepared in cooperation with the Association of Lawyers of Serbia.
Special Award for Contributions to Endowments – Miodrag Kostić
Miodrag Kostić, president and founder of MK Group, is not only a successful entrepreneur but also a dedicated philanthropist focused on supporting children and youth. His engagement inspired the creation of the Miodrag Kostić Endowment, which established the Palace of Science, the first centre for research and science promotion in Serbia and the largest in the region. The initial endowment of €25 million represents one of the largest individual contributions to philanthropy in the region, revitalizing the tradition of endowments. Cooperation with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade resulted in the creation of 19 fully equipped research centres within the Palace of Science. Beyond providing students and young scientists with top-notch working conditions, this initiative fosters the development of STEM fields and scientific research. Last year, Kostić also hosted top students from Kosovo and Metohija, offering them a special winter retreat at his Grand Hotel on Kopaonik.
. Special Award for Exceptional Humanity – Slobodan Majstorac
Slobodan Majstorac, a sales representative from Novi Sad, stands out as a devoted humanitarian. A longtime volunteer at the animal protection organization Spas, he actively contributes to humanitarian events. In June last year, following a tragic gas explosion at the Savocca pizzeria in Novi Sad, Slobodan donated skin from both thighs to the injured young man Nikola Zlatković. Although Nikola sadly did not survive, Slobodan remained in contact with his family, offering support and compassion. Alongside this act, he organized numerous charity events to raise funds for helping children and adults, securing them necessary medicines and food, collecting around 200,000 dinars for these purposes.
Special Award for Promoting Philanthropy – Nina Ninković
Nina Ninković, a brave 12-year-old girl from Novi Sad, became an inspiration to young people across the country when she, along with her mother and grandmother, started selling doughnuts in Adice to raise money for her father’s medical treatment abroad. This humanitarian effort quickly gained public attention, and their stand became a centre of solidarity. Nearly €13,000 was raised for her father’s therapy, and the initiative spread across Serbia and the region, inspiring similar actions. Nina continued her humanitarian work, participating in fundraising efforts for building a house for a family with eight children.
Special Award for Promoting Women’s Entrepreneurship – Ana Veljković
Ana Veljković from Niš, a geography teacher at Bora Stanković High School and the School of Law and Business, stands out as a dedicated educator and leader in the field of entrepreneurship, with over a decade of experience empowering women and girls. Her commitment and activism have led to numerous successes, particularly in supporting female high school students across various initiatives.
In the past year alone, her leadership engaged 280 students in the GirlsGo Cirkular program, where participants gained entrepreneurial and digital skills through a series of courses focused on the circular economy and STEM fields. As a mentor, Ana also secured funding for a study trip to Slovenia, broadening her students’ horizons and providing them with invaluable new experiences.