British Serb Campaign To Buy A Giraffe For Belgrade
Leading British Serb fundraisers Charlie Nikolić and his brother Djordje have taken on a new project to buy giraffe for Belgrade Zoo. But animal lovers are not the only ones being asked to cough up the cash, because these two men are dipping into their own pockets, committing to double any donation with money of their own.
Charlie and Djordje were moved to raise the €8,000 required to buy a new giraffe for Belgrade Zoo, after hearing that the zoo’s previous much-loved giraffe Zare died quite recently. The death of Zare left the cash-strapped zoo without one of the world’s most impressive animals and, with very little funds and limited resources, unable to replace it with another giraffe.
All that is set to change, thanks to these British Serb brothers, who have found a zoo in the Czech Republic that is willing to sell a giraffe to Belgrade. “This initiative is very close to my heart and to my family,’ Charlie told Wild Rooster. “Zare was our favourite giraffe and animal with whom we have had many happy moments as youngsters and in recent years.
Belgrade Pride Places Faith In Three Little Words
Love, faith and hope: three universal human values that Belgrade Pride organisers hope will encourage greater positive interest in the lives, rights and issues of Serbia’s gay community. Working beneath this banner, they intend to present Pride as a meter by which to measure civil rights, freedom and democracy in the country.
In an effort to move forward from last year, when Serbia’s government slammed an internationally condemned ban on a proposed parade through Belgrade, Pride chiefs have opted for a more approachable Ljubav, Vera, Nada re-brand, hopeful that people from across society will come together to encourage understanding, allay hatred and reduce prejudice of LGBT people in Serbia.
We Can Bring Eurovision Back To Belgrade, Says Željko Joksimović
Serbian singing star Željko Joksimović is confident of success at this week’s Eurovision Song Contest. Speaking to W!LDRooSTeR on the eve of Tuesday’s first semi final, Željko said the support that he has received from international media and Eurovision fans has been tremendously encouraging: “Every second of our time in Baku I am more confident of how many followers Serbia and the song ‘Nije ljubav stvar’ have in Europe.”
“It is so good to know how popular we are here. I believe that people would enjoy coming to Belgrade once again for the Eurovision Song Contest, next year.”
Of course, if Serbia is to host next year’s contest, Željko first needs to bring home the trophy. Željko has been here before and he knows better than most that he cannot afford to feel complacent.
Baku Welcomes Serbia’s Željko Joksimović
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The race to the Eurovision finish line has got underway. Serbia’s foremost singing star Željko Joksimović has joined other contestants in Baku and is preparing for his first Song Contest rehearsal, on Tuesday. Željko was all smiles as he flew out from Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla airport, happily accepting the best wishes of fans and fellow travellers before he boarded the plane to Baku with his band of musicians. Of course, this game is not anything new for Željko, who has taken part both as a performer and songwriter. So far, though, he has not brought home the trophy – something he intends to change this time round, as he told me recently.
“I feel deeply that I did not finish what I truly want,’ he said. “The Eurovision Song Contestgave me a lot and I believe that I will give something back. I hope to win, but we shall see what happens in Baku. Did I find the right magic this time? You never know.”
