Goran Ivanišević and Luna Vujović presented the new foundation
UNIQA SEE Future – support for a better future
When tennis legend Goran Ivanišević and young, exceptionally talented tennis star Luna Vujović join forces and play an extraordinary exhibition match in Zagreb at Europski trg, it announces a significant and incredibly important collaboration. Investing in young talents, for a more beautiful and better future, is at the core of the foundation's mission established to support young people who stand out in sports, culture, and sustainability. The UNIQA SEE Future foundation will operate in the Southeast Europe region: in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, and Montenegro, and a major public event introduced the first young sports hope that the foundation will support – Luna Vujović, the winner of the European junior championship and the winner of Wimbledon for juniors under 14 years old.
Luna is a dedicated athlete who has been playing tennis since she was six years old and does not hide how important support is to her. “The support of parents and family is the most important, but it is very nice and encouraging to have people and an organization like UNIQA insurance behind you. The experience and perspectives that mentors, who have already faced numerous challenges in life, can share with us are invaluable. No one can prepare you for what comes next and what will happen, everyone has their own path, but it is inspiring to hear others and I feel responsible because they believe in me,” said Luna Vujović during the presentation.
Ensuring better conditions for young people to maximize their potential and achieve their goals is the guiding thought of the new foundation: “With this move, we have made a step forward in socially responsible business by actively participating in creating a more advanced social environment. The aim of the foundation is to encourage local communities and strengthen involvement through various support programs in line with the slogan 'We live better together,' which promotes solidarity and cooperation towards achieving common goals. The idea of the Foundation stems from the mission of UNIQA insurance, which is based on improving the lives of clients and their families through innovative offers and services, as well as supporting the responsible development of the community,” emphasized Adel Bahtanović, president of the UNIQA SEE region, on the occasion of the foundation's presentation.
In an increasingly complex world full of challenges – from climate change, natural disasters to wars and inflation – trust and security become increasingly important for society and the economy, as well as for every individual. This is where UNIQA wants to play an important role with its social engagement. The UNIQA SEE Future foundation will be a catalyst for positive social change as corporate philanthropy is one of the key drivers of social development.
The activities of the Foundation will focus on three areas: sports, culture, and sustainability. The first sports talent that the Foundation will support is tennis player Luna Vujović, junior winner of Wimbledon. She is one of the greatest young hopes of Serbian tennis, having won four out of five Tennis Europe finals she participated in 2022. During the presentation of the Foundation in Zagreb, Luna played an exhibition match with Goran Ivanišević, brand ambassador of UNIQA insurance. Goran will provide support to many young sports talents in his role as a mentor.
“I am happy that through this foundation and collaboration with UNIQA insurance I can help young people because I am aware of how important support is. The circumstances have changed a lot compared to the time when I was at the beginning of my career and relied on my family's support. When you are young, it is very important at the beginning to be able to rely on someone who has experience, and thanks to everything I have gone through in life, I am glad that I can support young talents through the foundation, regardless of whether they are engaged in sports or another activity,” said Goran Ivanišević at the foundation's presentation.
The Foundation's support for culture will begin with a partnership with the Sarajevo Film Festival, which UNIQA is sponsoring for the second year in a row.ali and other projects to support young artists. The UNIQA SEE Future Foundation, among others, promotes philanthropy, healthy lifestyles, supports initiatives focused on environmental protection and sustainability issues, socially responsible business, art (film, music, photography, painting), contemporary occupations and trends in the digital world, and many other areas that directly serve to support local communities. This was confirmed at yesterday's donor dinner marking the establishment of the UNIQA SEE Future Foundation, attended by numerous personalities from the world of sports, culture, and business. An auction of valuable sports items also raised additional funds to support young talents in the region.
The UNIQA SEE Future Foundation will focus on providing support to young talents as they are the bearers of change and have the potential to transform local communities. Through scholarship and mentorship programs, the foundation will provide young people with resources and opportunities to refine their talents and reach their full potential.