Yesterday in Vranje we visited Jovo Ristić, a former football player of FC Dinamo and the founder of the “Prestiž '' football school, who is one of the winners of this year’s “They are Heroes” competition.
Since 2017, when he founded his football school, Jova and the children he trains have organized over 200 humanitarian and educational actions, through which they have collected over 2 million dollars.
The people of Vranje say they appreciate and believe in Jova because of his great enthusiasm and empathy. He has become a synonym for humanitarian aid, and together with his small football players, he organizes actions to collect money for the treatment of sick children and youth, and food for sick and elderly fellow citizens. Jova’s goal, as he says himself, is to teach the children to play football, but also to teach them to be, first and foremost, good people who won’t turn their backs when they see trouble - for him, all his “children'' are true heroes.
At the city stadium, where the football school practices are held, representatives of local media, who followed the entire course of the competition and the selection of the winners, once again congratulated Jova on the recognition and conveyed his joy and gratitude for the recognition on their portals. Representatives of Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation congratulated Jova once again and distributed t-shirts, caps, and notebooks to his little heroes.
For the third year in a row, the Delegation of the European Union in Serbia and Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation have awarded winners of the “They are Heroes” competition. The idea of the contest is to recognize and reward individuals who have shown selfless energy and commitment to the community, and with their good deeds are recognized as examples of philanthropy and solidarity.