Launching Serbian Unity Congress

1990

During and after Tito official policy of the former Yugoslavia discouraged a relationship between the various peoples of Yugoslavia and their Diasporas as a way to curtail outside influence and erosion of state control.

As central control eased and Yugoslavia started to turn outward, Diaspora members saw a need and an opportunity to help in an organized manner.  In this context members of the Royal Family, the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Diaspora came together as founders of a new type of Diaspora organization unique in its mission to harness Diaspora resources and to assist the Homeland toward a prosperous future.

The first annual convention took place in Cleveland, Ohio in 1990, attended by 6,000-8,000 Serbs from the Diaspora and their friends the Serbian Unity Congress was launched.

The mission of the organization was the same then as it is today: bring to bear the resources of the Diaspora to contribute to the development of greater democracy and economic development in the homeland and to nurture Serbian culture and heritage.

Mission of Friendship and Goodwill

The first project was implemented in 1991: The Mission of Friendship and Goodwill or the “Phoenix Plan”.  Several delegations of professional experts went to Yugoslavia to survey areas of potential professional cooperation.  Delegations represented the professional areas of medicine, agriculture, finance, education and culture.

The objective of the mission was to employ the know-how of Diaspora members in these fields through projects of cooperation with same professional areas in the Homeland.

The mission traversed several areas of the former Yugoslavia and agreed on a number of potential projects of cooperation.

The project work that ensued was interrupted with the outbreak of hostilities in Croatia that were followed by war.