Serbs (and Serbians) have migrated to Canada in various waves during the 20th century. Today there are five or more generations of Serbs in the country. The 2021 census recorded 93,360 people in Canada declaring themselves as “Serbian”.
The Serbian community in Alberta is over 10,000 people strong, with about 5,000 people living in Calgary and Edmonton respectively.
Serbian Canadians generally belong to the Serbian Orthodox Church and follow the Eastern Orthodox tradition.
A world-renowned scientist who won the Pulitzer Prize and significantly improved the telephone technology, arrived to the United States with only five cents in his pocket. He was among the founders of an organization that later grew into the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration – NASA. A moon crater was also named after him.
A Serbian Field Marshal and Chief of General Staff in the Balkan Wars and World War I, died on 17. May 1917. He took part in all of the wars that Serbia waged from 1876 to 1917. Canadians gave the name Putnik to a mountain located near the province of Alberta, paying tribute to the Chief of the Supreme Command of the Serbian Army (Field marshal (Vojvoda), Radomir Putnik (1847-1917).
Born April 27, 1893, Ivanjica, Serbia—died July 17, 1946, Belgrade, Serbia was an army officer and head of the royalist Yugoslav underground army, known as the Chetniks, during World War II. US President Harry Truman, posthumously awarded Mihailović the Legion of Merit for the rescue of American airmen by the Chetniks.
December 19, 1875, was a Serbian mathematician, Albert Einsteins first wife, one of the most genius people of 20th century. There are claims that she contributed to Einstein’s early works, but the degree of her participation in the findings is unknown and is the subject of numerous debates.
Is the first Serbian professional tennis player to be ranked No. 1 by the ATP and the first male player representing Serbia to win a Grand Slam singles title. Novak Djoković, who became the Number 1 tennis player in the world in 2011, secured his place in the history of this sport after a series of 41 wins and three Grand Slam titles in one year.
Is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets (NBA) who plays the center position. A four-time NBA All-Star, he has been named to the All-NBA Team on four occasions (including three first-team selections), and won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons. He represents the Serbian national team.
The church is a proud host of the annual Serbian Festival, a popular event, showcasing the rich history of our culture, delicious Serbian food, and traditional dances, representing a true celebration of Canada’s multiculturalism.
The growing Serbian community has various organizations that support and significantly contribute to the success of Serbian Festival: Circle of Serbian Sisters, Serbian School St. Sava, Cultural Society Frula, Soccer Academy of Serbia, Ravna Gora Serbian Heritage Society, Calgary Tesla Society, The U of C Serbian Club and humanitarian organizations “Krajina Society” and “Serbs for Serbs”.
In the front of the Church is located The Serbian Scientists Memorial Park dedicated to 4 renowned Serbian scientists Nikola Tesla, Mihajlo Michael Pupin, Milutin Milankovic, and Mileva Maric Einstein.
