Raffle sponsors for BALKAN FLOOD CHARITY EVENT *Ended

Join us at the Embassy of Serbia for the charity event for BALKAN FLOOD RELIEF!! Serbia has just been struck (May 2014) with a huge natural disaster, caused by heavy rain and overflowing rivers (Details: http://www.tokyo.mfa.gov.rs/index.php). While this serious disaster in Balkan Peninsula has barely made the news in Japan, My Eyes Tokyo (MET) and The International Center inTokyo (ICT) decided to cosponsor this charity event for Serbia because it’s time for us to repay one of our greatest supporter who has donated more to the relief efforts for “The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake and tsunami”

By Anna Fujiwara (My Eyes Tokyo) 日本語   In a charity event for the tragic Serbian flood of May 2014, jointly hosted by The International Center in Tokyo and My Eyes Tokyo (MET), MET had the opportunity to interview Ms. Jelena Jeremic from the Republic of Serbia and a cooking instructor of Serbian cuisine in Tokyo, and Mr. Nemanja Grbić, Attaché for the Serbian embassy, both whom are currently residents of Tokyo. Serbia and Japan have reached out to one another in times of tragedy and need, with Serbia offering help after the March 11 earthquake of Tohoku, and Japan

Serbia is the world’s second largest producer of raspberries. *Photo from Wikipedia February 15 is Serbia’s Statehood Day. It is a holiday to commemorate the outbreak of the First Serbian Uprising in 1804, it evolved into a Serbian Revolution against Ottoman rule. The revolution ultimately resulted in the recognition of Serbia’s statehood by Ottoman Empire. Slavs settled the Balkans in the 9th century. In 1345 the Serbian Empire was established: it spanned a large part of the Balkans. In 1540 the Ottoman Empire annexed Serbia. The Serbian realms disappeared by the mid-16th century, torn by domestic feuds and overcome by