The Foundation has been established in 2002. by the Serbian Society of Gerontology. Named after Laza K. Lazarević, famous humanist, writer, psychiatrist and the first Serbian gerontologist, since 2008 the Foundation has been registered within the Ministry of Culture.

Goals of the Foundation: supporting active and creative aging, developing cultural, educational, health and recreation programs, as well as educational programs for basic use of modern technology.

IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS:

Three years in a row (2008,2009,2010), in town of Soko Banja, we have organized Olympic games dedicated to health, culture and sports in third age.

2010 we organized seminar: „Making a humanitarian and social responsible local comunity“ with Elvira Barbara Savade from Senior Experten Service and with representatives from Municipality of Stari grad.

We have established cooperation whit European associations, especially in the Danube Region (Danube – Networkers), the Centre for General Scientific Continuous Education of Ulm University, Senior Expert Service and The Central Council of Serbian people in Germany. We are also cofounders of DANET. With tham we realized all projects.

We organized meeting in Serbian Academy of Science and Art in October on subject “Danube – the river of solidarity and cooperation” with Carmen Stadelhofer, president of DANET, vice president of SANU Mr Ljubisa Rakic and representatives in field of education, tourism, health, culture and sport of third age

- Now we started with project on Municipality of Stari grad – Local comunnity of good naighburs where we are connecting citizens with institutions who can help tham in house living conditions and to make better quality of their lives.

In Serbia, the main Church is the Orthodox Church. We use the old 'Julian' Calendar, which means that Christmas Eve is on 6th January and Christmas Day is on the 7th January! Advent in the Orthodox Church starts on 28th November and last for six weeks. During Advent, some people fast and they don't eat food that comes from animals (meat, milk, eggs, etc.). Christmas is one of the holiest days of the year.

On Christmas Eve (called 'Badnji dan' during the day and 'Badnje veče' after sunset), families gather and many people fast and don't eat food that comes from animals. It is the last day of the Christmas fast. Christmas is a very religious holiday and most people go to the Christmas Services.

POLOZAJNIK - The first person to enter a house on Christmas Day is called a polaznik and it's thought to bring luck to the house and family. The polozajnik is often re-arranged. But if the family don't have good year, they don't ask the same person back! In the old days, the polozajnik would take a branch from the badnjak and stir up the fire in the hearth. The more sparks (representing God's blessings for the family) he or she created, the better.

CESNICA - At Christmas a special kind of bread is eaten. It's called 'cesnica' and is made in a round shape. Each member of the family gets a piece (and the house does too). There is a coin hidden in it and whoever gets the coin will be particularly fortunate in the next year!

MEAL -The meatless meal, may consist of fish with potatoes, tuna salad, a layered bean, meatless sarma, (a rice-and-vegetable casserole), nuts in the shell, fresh and dried fruits, and cookies made without dairy and eggs. Also on the table is a container of wheat grass that was planted on St. Nicholas Day, symbolizing a good harvest, usually festooned with a ribbon, and a lighted candle. After toasting with plum brandy or warm brandy with honey and spices, wheat grains are sprinkled over the guests for luck and prosperity. Only then does the feasting begin. The meal is lavish with spit-roasted pig, meat sarma, baked ham, sausage, roast potatoes, parslied potatoes, and desserts galore -- nutroll, cheese strudel and apple strudel, log torte, drum torte -- fresh and dried fruits and plum brendy.

Under the dinner table there should be some straw as a symbol of the stable/cave where Jesus was born. When the straw is spread out, some people make the noise of a chicken! Clucking like a chicken symbolises that Jesus wanted people to follow him like one big family (like chickens gather together!). It's also common for a handful of walnuts to be spread on the straw.

In Serbian Happy/Merry Christmas is Hristos se rodi (Христос се роди) - Christ is born Vaistinu se rodi (Ваистину се роди) - truly born (reply).

GIFTS - Gift giving on Christmas is not a Serbian tradition—instead, gifts are given on the three Sundays before Christmas Day. These three holidays are called Detinjci or Djetinjci, Materice, and Oci. Children give gifts on Detinjci, married women on Materice, and married men on Oci.

The gifts are given in the form of a ransom. In the morning of Detinjci, the adults use a belt, rope, or scarf to tie their and neighbors' children, binding their legs. The children have already prepared presents for this event, with which they "pay the ransom" and get untied. In the morning of Materice, the children suddenly tie their mother, who asks, as if surprised, why she has been tied. The children then wish a happy Feast of Materice to her, and she pays the ransom with the prepared presents. They may do the same with married women from their neighborhood. Mothers prepare a family feast on this day. In the morning of Oci, the Sunday immediately before Christmas Day, the children tie their father.