Tito's Pioneers

Thanks to facebook, I got in touch with friends from my first school. Today someone uploaded a picture from our first day of school. I was so delighted and decided to share this joyfull memory of my life, and Yes, Im from the 1983 generation.

Union of Pioneers of Yugoslavia (Croatian, Serbian, Serbo-Croatian: Savez pionira Jugoslavije; Slovenian: Zveza pionirjev Jugoslavije (ZPJ)) was the pioneer movement of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Its members wore red scarves as well as navy blue hats called Titovka. These hats were sometimes white, and bore a red star on the front. A white shirt was often worn with the Pioneer scarf (marama) and the Titovka, although this varied depending on which part of Yugoslavia the particular pioneer was from. Boys often wore navy blue shorts or pants, and girls wore skirts in the same colour, along with white stockings and black shoes. On special occasions, such as a visit from Tito himself, Pioniri sometimes wore traditional costumes from their native regions of Yugoslavia.
The organization was founded on December 27, 1942. It was a substructure within the Socialist Youth Union of Yugoslavia. It published Male novine. The organization was divided into younger pioneers (7-11 years) and older pioneers (11-15 years).[1]
Typically, the induction ceremony took place in school for children aged 7 in the autumn of their first year in school, as part of the Republic Day celebrations. The youngest generation that undertook it was born around 1983.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_Pioneers_of_Yugoslavia





In English:
Today, as I become a Pioneer,
I give my Pioneer's word of honor -
That I will study and work tirelessly,
respect parents and my seniors,
and be a loyal and honest comrade/friend.
That I will love our homeland, self-management SFRY.
That I will spread brotherhood and unity
and the principles for which comrade Tito fought.
And that I will value all peoples of the world who respect freedom and peace!