We Celebrated 25 Years of Trag!

We recently marked a significant milestone—25 years of Trag Foundation’s work! It was a moment to reflect on everything we’ve achieved together over this first quarter-century: the challenges we faced, the persistence we showed, and the bold, pioneering steps we took along the way.

It all began in 1999 at a peace conference. Jenny Hyatt’s heartfelt speech raised funds for small communities in Serbia and Montenegro—an urgent response to their needs during the crisis caused by the NATO bombing.

“From the beginning, we nurtured openness, solidarity, flexibility, and accountability values. Over the years, these values became the foundation of everything we do,” shared Dubravka Velat, one of the founders of what was then the Balkan Community Initiatives Fund (BCIF), and still a dedicated member of our Board of Directors today.

“We strongly focused on supporting local initiatives, because we believe in the power of active citizens—people who recognize the challenges in their communities and take the lead in solving them. Looking back now, 25 years later, I feel nothing but pride. Pride for being part of this journey from the start, and for still being a part of it today. I’m proud that we stayed true to our values and mission and were willing to grow, adapt, and meet new challenges head-on.”

Over the years, we’ve supported people in more than 900 communities to create spaces that reflect their visions and values. We’ve stood beside informal groups, associations, and individuals working on a wide range of goals: from pushing for legal reforms on the national level and policy changes locally, to restoring parks, hosting workshops, raising funds for continued community work, supporting women’s organizations and groups advocating for people with disabilities, and empowering youth to become changemakers in their towns.

Through strong partnerships and dedicated capacity building—not only of civil society organizations but also private sector allies—Trag has become a stable partner and a source of support, even when official funding ends or during difficult times, like the recent global pandemic.

“We look back on an incredible impact: more than €25 million invested in communities and over 2,400 initiatives directly supported. These efforts aimed to empower people, spark creativity, and drive meaningful change across Serbia and the region,” emphasized Milka Damjanović, Executive Director of Trag Foundation.

And we are far from done. Today, we continue to stand with women’s organizations in their fight against violence, with advocates who push for systemic change, and with community builders who are becoming local donors and first responders in times of need.

“Our mission isn’t just about numbers or projects. Celebrating 25 years isn’t just about looking back on achievements—it’s about honoring our unwavering commitment to one goal: creating strong, sustainable, and inclusive communities,” Milka added.

“Trag has always been made up of people who believe that communities have the power to change the world.”

We’re excited to see what the next 25 years will bring—and we look forward to discovering that future together.