Never is the power of social media more evident than when a celebrity gets involved on behalf of a brand or cause, making others follow suit.
Such was the case when Hip Hop Canada ran a feature interview on Filip Filipi, President of the humanitarian organization 28. Jun, and, being a long-time friend, Post Malone’s DJ Smitty shared it in a tweet.
Within several days, Smitty’s support raised awareness of the project both in the U.S. and Serbia. The additional publicity resulted in donations to offset shipping costs and speed up the processing of documentation.
The container of aid, amounting to nearly $1 million dollars, has been cleared by Serbian authorities and will be delivered next week, just in time for the holidays.
The main recipient of the donation, which includes anesthesia machines, portable X-ray units, ultrasound machines, EKG/ECG machines, and several tons of medical supplies, is the General Hospital in Prokuplje, Serbia.
The donation, sent in partnership with American NGO Supplies Over Seas, is one of the largest ever of its kind to the country, slightly surpassing the value of a shipment 28. Jun delivered to Nis, Serbia, in 2013.
Before spearheading 28. Jun, Filipi spent his young adulthood on the Canadian music scene, where he met Smitty. The pair worked together on several tracks, eventually going their separate ways: Smitty went on to become the DJ for one of entertainment’s top stars, while Filipi started a humanitarian organization that now operates with Special Consultative Status in the UN.
Filip met with Smitty backstage during the Vancouver leg of Post Malone’s tour and presented him with a Humanitarian of the Year Award for 2019 on behalf of 28. Jun.
“I am incredibly happy that we were able to ensure the delivery of this aid to one of the poorest regions of Serbia. Smitty’s support really expedited the delivery process and, now, many families will welcome the holidays with access to necessary medical care. I think I speak for both our Executive Director Snezana Dimitrijevic and myself when I say that this triumphant outcome made the arduous process worthwhile.”
