Biography

PREDRAG PEDJA FILIPOVIĆ – CURRICULUM VITAE 

Date of Birth:  May 5, 1966, Supetar, Brač Island, Croatia

e-mail: filipovicpedja505@gmail.com
Website: www.pedja-filipovic.net
Company website: www.massageclubprofessional.com

Academic Education

  • Medical Vocational-Technical Highschool, Belgrade, Serbia
  • ‘Stevan Mokranjac’ School of Music, Belgrade – Cello Department
  • Medical Sciences College, Belgrade, Serbia. Department of Physiotherapy, Degree: Senior Physiotherapist /Valedictorian with 98.2% GPA/. Final Thesis: ‘Jacobson’s Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) Technique’
  • University of Belgrade, Special Education and Disability Rehabilitation Department
  • 2000 Bachelor of Arts in Acting, Academy of Performing Arts, Belgrade, Serbia. Studied under professor Radmila Andric.
  • December 2012 Graduated from the International Yoga Instructors Academy in Belgrade, Serbia
  • 2013 Master Studies in Body Psychotherapy (TePsynthesis) at the Radix Institute in Belgrade, Serbia, under menthor Ljilja(na) Klisic, PhD.
  • 2013-2014  Masters Degree at the College of Business Economy and Entrepreneurship in Belgrade, Serbia.
  • 2014-2015 PhD Studies at the Academy of Economy in Novi Sad, Serbia and the Belgrade School of Applied Management, Economy and Finance in Belgrade, Serbia.  a joint phd degree program from both universities? did yu graduate?when? If you didn’t graduate yet, just leave it like this.

Professional Career

  • May 1989 – present Teacher at the ‘Professional Massage‘ School of Manual Body Massage at the Djuro Salaj Adult Learning Center in Belgrade, Serbia. Copyright holder for the school’s massage training programs. Successfully trained over 30 000 students.
  • March 1993-September 1996  Initiated and led humanitarian aid activities consisting of providing massage therapy to injured souldiers stationed at the Rudo Institute for Orthopedics and Prosthetics in Belgrade, Serbia. Together with the team of his students, repeatedly visited and provided massage therapy to wounded souldiers hospitalized in physical rehabilitation centers across Serbia.
  • 1994 – Students of the Professional Massage School of Body Massage were engaged to provide massage to professional ballet dancers at the Serbian National Opera and Ballet House in Belgrade on a three times a week regular basis.
  • 1997-2002  Created the sports massage technique specially designed for the Belgrade Marathon and Belgrade Triathlon. Official sports massage therapist for the two important international sports events, leading the team of sports massage students.
  • 1995  Prolom Mineral Spa Center, Serbia. Training physiotherapists employed at the spa center in using his copyrighted Professional Massage
  • YEAR? Visiting professor teaching massage techniques at the Zemun Medical College in Belgrade, Serbia.
  • 1998/99 The authenticity of Pedja Filipovic’s copyrighted massage methods gets officially confirmed.
  • 1999  Working actively at the Novi Sad Marathon as a physiotherapist and leader of the team of sports massage and physiotherapy students
  • 1999 Member of the Anti-Stress Committee (humanitarian lectures on stress relief methods for children and adults held in health clinics across Serbia in 1999.
  • 2000 Trained physiotherapists in Lukovska Banja Mineral Spa Resort, Serbia, to use his copyrighted Professional Massage
  • 2002   Worked actively at the Kalemegdan History Run Belgrade as a physotherapist leading a team of massage therapy students.
  • 2004 Trained physiotherapists in using his original copyrighted Professional Massage methods in Ribarska Banja Balneotherapy Center, Serbia
  • January 2005 – present  Expert advisor and supervisor, training programs educator, and author of massage methods used in the Banja Koviljaca Specialised Hospital’s wellness program in Banja Koviljaca, Serbia.
  • Creator and copyright holder of the Banja Koviljaca Mineral Spa Resort’s ‘Queen Strength‘ wellness brand
  • February 2005 – present  Opened the ‘Professional Massage Club’, the first authorized massage center opened on the territory of Serbia and Montenegro. massageclubprofessional.com
  • May 2005- end of 2017 In line with the wellness and spa concept created by Pedja Filipovic, the Q Wellness Renergique pharmaceutical company from Belgrade, Serbia presented the “Renergique- Wellness System by Pedja Filipović”, a unique collection of massage products consisting of over 100 different products including massage oils, creams, pealing masks, face masks, and mineral spa salts designed under his supervision for both Serbian and international market. When the contract with the company expired in 2017, Mr Filipovic opted not to extend it, ending the legal right to any use of Mr Pedja Filipovic’s name, or names of his copyrighted massage products, on product labels. mmzm msm
  • 2006 Trained physiotherapists at the Vrnjacka Banja Mineral Spa Resort in using his original copyrighted Professional Massage
  • May 2007 – present Created the ‘Montenegro Mediterranean Massage’, the first Montenegro national massage brand, for the Hotel ‘Mediterranean‘ in Becici, Montenegro. Designed the Hotel’s entire wellness concept and trained the massage therapy staff.
  • 2007 Created an entirely new wellness movement called the ‘ART MASSAGE‘. Unifying massage with poetry, classical music, and movement, this revolutionary massage concept is designed to relieve the body from tension and stress and achieve harmony in one’s soul, mind and body. The concept has first been presented in the form of a theatrical performance, ‘Ars Corpus Vivendi in Musica‘, premiering at the Budva Theater City drama festival in 2007.
  • 2007 The jury consisting of Serbian business reporters and tourism experts awarded Pedja Filipovic the “2007 Serbian Wellness Award” for his achievements in the field of education and innovation in new massage concepts.
  • 2008   Pedja Filipovic’s professional and creative work was described in a book by author Brana Kovač, ‘33 x Ongoing Success‘, published in Belgrade in 2008.
  • May 2008 Expert consultant in designing the concept of the ‘Otrant‘ Hotel and Wellness Center in Ulcinj, Montenegro, in close cooperation with the ‘Metrico‘ Company from Belgrade, Serbia.
  • October 2008 Designed the wellness concept for the Vraneša Ethnic Village on the mountain Zlatar, Serbia, and provided training for the staff.
  • 2008 and 2009 Created the Ribarska Banja Balneotherapy Center’s Wellness Program and designed their trademark Ribarska Banja Massage wellness brand.
  • 2009  Belgrade’s prestigeous Corpore Fitness Center integrated Pedja Filipović’s methods in its wellness program and invited him to train their massage therapists.
  • 2010 Pedja Filipovic is awarded the “2010 Serbian Wellness Award” for achievements in wellness concept design
  • May 2010 – present   Belgrade’s exquisite ‘Jai Thai‘ Thai Massage Center adopted the complete wellness concept created by Pedja Filipovic and hired five of his massage therapists.
  • May 2010 Created and designed the new SHI – THAI TREATMENT wellness technique
  • Original author and designer of the copyrighted ‘Professional Massage‘ Wellness and Spa Concept
  • January 2014 – present  Created a series of treatments specially designed for the Tuhelj Thermal Baths Resort in Tuhelj, Croatia and the Olimia Thermal Baths Resort in Slovenia, and trained the two thermal bath resorts’ massage therapists. The treatments include the Kalma anti-stress treatment, the Walking on Clouds reflex therapy treatment, the Detox lymphatic drainage therapy, the New Energy shiatsu treatment, and the Magic Face facial treatment.
  • On May 2014, his newly created brand, the Shi Thai Treatment, was officially included in the Banja Koviljača Mineral Spa Resort’s wellness program, and he trained their Shi Thai Treatment therapists.
  • 2014 Led the team of physiotherapists at the 2014 Belgrade Marathon, working jointly with the BeoHosting
  • April 2014  Invited by the 2014 Helthcare Festival in Belgrade, Serbia, to demonstrate the Tibetan Bowls Massage technique to the Festival’s visitors.
  • 2014   Author and designer of the copyrighted trademark ‘Gnothi SeautonKnow Thyself’ Selfness concept.
  • May 2014 Pedja Filipovic’s entire year-long work experience and creation of treatments in the field of wellness, spa and selfness is summarized together in the form of the newly opened Wellness Academy Pedja Filipovic – WAPF.
  • September 2014 Completed a professional training course in the AI CHI method  (Thai Chi in thermal water) for the harmonization of mind, soul and body, in Hungary. He thus became the only Ai Chi instructor in Serbia and the entire Former Yugoslavia region certified by the author Jun Konno from Japan. The method was included in the wellness concept created for the Banja Koviljača Specialized Hospital, Tuhelj Thermal Baths in Croatia and Olimia Thermal Baths in Slovenia.
  • May 2015 Author and designer of the ANGELIC TOUCH OF WATER Selfness Massage Ritual conducted inside the thermal water pool itself. Provided extensive training for the massage therapists at the Tuhelj Thermal Baths Resort in Croatia, the very first in the Western Balkans to include the Angelic Touch of Water by PF in its Selfness program.
  • May 2015 Created of the TUHELJ TOUCH trademark brand treatment for the Tuhelj Thermal Baths Resort in Croatia, providing training for the massage therapists.
  • September 2015 Completed the first level of the HEALING DANCE technique by author Alexander Georgios, consisting of a philosophical view on massage and harmonization of energy flow inside thermal water.
  • September 2015 Niška Banja Specialized Hospital near Nish, Serbia includes the authorized WAPF treatment techniques in its health and wellness concept, such as the Holistic Foot Reflex Therapy, the Royal Massage, the Pantha Rei Lymphatic Drainage Treatment, and the Ai Chi by Jun Konna and invites him to train the entire physiotherapy staff of the Hospital.
  • October 2015 Completed the profesional training for CIDESCO Italy Certificate for Bioenergy Maui Spa Head and Face Massage and Bava de Lumaca
  • October 2015 Completed the Specialized Certified Training in Oriental Diagnostics by Ohashi in Zagreb, Croatia
  • October 2015 Participated as one of the panelists at the 4th Conference of the Montenegro Medical Spa Association and Montenegro Health Tourism Cluster held at the Splendid Hotel in Bečićima, Montenegro.
  • May 5, 2014 Opened his own school, the Wellness Academy Pedja Filipović – WAPF.
  • October 10, 2015 Pedja Filipovic is elected the WELLNESS AMBASSADOR OF SERBIA, the first in Serbian history, at the UNIQA Wellness and Spa Festival in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia.
  • December 2015 Created THE FIFTH ELEMENT OF THE KING’S TOWERS Selfness Brand for the Kraljevi Čardaci (The King’s Towers) Spa Hotel at the Kopaonik Mountain Resort on mountain Kopaonik, Serbia.
  • Created the SEARCHING FOR THE PEARL OF PACIFIC, the copyrighted Wellness and Selfness treatment with warm shells from the Philippines.
  • December 2015  Created the Regeneration, Affirmation, Self-Acceptance, Acceptance of Others, and Rejoicing Each Day 8-Day Plan for VelexFarm, a renowned pharmaceutical company from Belgrade, Serbia, designed to promote their new herbal elixir LOVELIFE. volizivot.rs
  • February 2016 Created the PREHISTORIC HIMALAYA OCEAN POWER, the very first wellness ritual in Serbia that used warm hymalaian salt crystals.
  • May 2016 In joint cooperation with the renowned WORLD OF TOURISM magazine, the WAPF Wellnes Academy organized and hosted the 2nd WELLNESS & SPA International Festival, in Belgrade, Serbia, unique of its kind in the region.
  • May 2016 The 7th CEI Regional Forum of Wellness & Spa Industry, Hotel Crowne Plaza, Belgrade, Serbia, organized by Wellness Cluster Serbia. Pedja Filipovic gave a number of lectures on the wellness concept in Health Clinics across Serbia, including in the Kraljevi čardaci (King’s Towers) Spa Center at the Kopaonik Mountain Ski Resort.
  • July 2016 WAPF Academy designs a series of humanitarian workshops, the TOUCH OF LOVE FOR MOMMY AND BABY, offering free trainings for pregnant women on how to perform massage and cultivate the touch within their family, and free trainings for dads on how to give massage to their wives and babies. The workshops were successfully organized at the Cangoroo Resort in Athens, Greece by the BelgradeOnline
  • October 2016 Vojvodina Health Tourism Cluster and WAPF organized a series of training sessions on the Ai Chi Flowing Acquatig Energy method by Jun Konno for physiotherapists in health clinics across the province of Vojvodina, primarily in Vojvodina Spa Resorts such as the Banja Junaković Spa, Banja Kanjiža Spa, and Banja Rusanda Melenci
  • October 2016  Pedja Filipović participated as one of the panelists at the 5th International Summit of Health Tourism, held in Hotel Splendid in Montenegro, giving lectures on Innovative Wellness Concept Creation.
  • November 2016 8th International FORUM OF HOTEL BUSINESS OWNERS was organized in Belgrade by the World of Tourism Magazine and the Forum’s Patron, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, where Pedja Filipović gave lectures on the Importance of Wellness & Spa Staff Training and Wellness Concept Branding.
  • December 2016 Under the patronage of UNICEF and the Serbian Ministry of Health, the Belgrade City Public Health Institute organized a number of lectures for House-Call Nurses on the Importance of Massage for Health in Pregnant Women and their Child.
  • 2017 Created a new original wellness ritual brand for the Dr Simo Milosevic Medical Institute in Igalo, Montenegro, the IGALO RITUAL, and trained the Institute’s physiotherapists.
  • 2017 Designed the MADEROTHERAPY WELLNESS RITUAL, a new holistic treatment applied in therapeutic massage, sports massage, anticellulite and anti-stress massage, and trained massage therapists across Serbia and all neighboring countries.
  • 2018 Created The TOUCH OF SPIRIT – a cosmetic and skin care products collection originally designed by the WAPF, the sole legitimate user of the WAPF Academy’s logo and of Pedja Filipovic’s signature.
  • 2016 Designed a new wellness brand, the MAGIC FACE MADEROTHERAPY RITUAL, which saw light in LASKO Thermana Thermal Spa Resort in Slovenia in 2016, and has since spread across the countries in South West Europe.
  • 2018 Created a whole new wellness brand, the MOCUSHI WELLNESS RITUAL, as part of the ‘Know Thyself’ Selfness concept, originally created for the KRALJEVI ČARDACI (KING’S TOWERS) SPA Hotel at the Kopaonik Mountain Ski Resort in Serbia.
  • 2018 Designed the AWAKENING OF THE SEVEN WORLDS Wellness Ritual by WAPF. Following a successful training program for their in-house physiotherapists, the Hotel VERDE in Podgorica, Montenegro included the ritual in its wellness offer.
  • 2019 Banja Koviljaca Specialized Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation – CONNECTIVE TISSUE MASSAGE  training program for physiotherapists.
  • 2019 Created the KOVILJE CHI – a new wellness brand for the Banja Koviljaca Specialized Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation, Banja Koviljaca, Serbia.
  • 2020 Pedja Filipovic is awarded the prestigious regional award for his works and achievements, the GENTLEMAN OF THE YEAR.

Works and Achievements

  • 1993-2005 Secretary General of the ‘Professional Massage‘ Association of Massage Therapists, Belgrade
  • 1989 – present Copyright holder to the training programs and manual massage techniques created for the ‘Professional Massage‘ school of body massage.
  • Author and Designer of the entire ‘Professional Massage‘ Wellness and Spa Concept.
  • Author and Designer of the Gnothi Seauton Selfness Concept
  • 2005 Author and Designer of the Belgrade Massage technique and name.
  • 2005 Author and Designer of the 2005 Mediterranean-Montenegro Massage
  • 2007 Author of the Queen Power wellness brand and name, the trademark of the Banja Koviljača Specialized Hospital.
  • 2009 Author of the Ribarska Banja Massage, the trademark wellness brand of the Ribarska Banja Specialized Hospital
  • Year?? Author of the Kalma holistic selfness antistress ritual at the Tuhelj Termal Spa in Croatia and Olimia Thermal Spa in Slovenia.
  • 1999 Member of the Anti-Stress Committee (humanitarian lectures on stress relief methods for children and adults held in health clinics across Serbia in 1999.
  • The majority of manual massage therapists who graduated from the Professional Massage School of Body Massage, in line with Pedja Filipović’s copyrighted methods, went on to become recognised professional massage therapists working in the Serbian capital’s massage salons and 4 and 5 star hotels. A number of them have succeeded in getting employment as massage therapists in European countries thanks to their high level of professionalism and expertise.

   Journalism

  • 1998 ‘Oh-La-La‘ Magazine – Author of regular columns on massage, health and beauty.
  • 2000 Boni Magazine – Writer of articles on healthcare, prevention, massage and beauty.
  • February 2008 – May 2011 ‘Alo‘ Daily – Author of the weekly Wednesday column within the Health&Beauty section on massage and wellness programs.
  • 2005 Author of texts on massage for the ‘Prirodna lepota’ (Natural Beauty) Magazine, Belgrade, Serbia.
  • September 2005 – June 2007 Author of texts on massage for the ‘Iscelitelj‘ (The Healer) Magazine
  • 2005-2011 Associate writer for the Novosti Group’s ‘Bilje i Zdravlje‘ (Herbal Plants and Health) Magazine, writing texts on massage and on wellness programs.
  • January 2009 – present Author of articles on massage, wellnes and spa culture for the  ‘Tvojih 5 Minuta‘ (5 Minutes For Yourself) health magazine distributed freely in hospitals, community health centers, hotels, pharmacies, and restaurants.
  • January 2009 – present Author of articles on massage, wellnes and spa culture for the  ‘Tvojih 5 Minuta‘ (5 Minutes For Yourself) health magazine distributed freely in hospitals, community health centers, hotels, pharmacies, and restaurants.
  • May 2009 – present ’Zdrav život‘ (Healthy Living) Magazine. Author of articles on family wellness and how to achieve better overall well-being.
  • 2011 – present Expert content writer for the Fitness Managment Magazine from Belgrade, Serbia.
  • May 2015 – present Associate Writer for the co.rs , online magazine for topics concerning massage.
  • May 2015 – present Member of the Expert Board for The World of Tourism, a professional magazine for tourism and wellness.
  • January 2016 Author of the SOUL STRINGS AND STEPS TO SELF bi-weekly column for the BelgradeOnline Internet Magazine – bgonline.rs

Theater

  • 2000 Humanitarian theater performance, Do You Know the Milkway?, a play directed by Radmila Andric, where Pedja Filipovic acts together with the fellow actor Miroslav Nikolic. The play was performed repeatedly throughout the year in Belgrade and in larger cities across Serbia with the aim to raise funds to help children from Kosovo. The collected funds were used to buy school supplies for Kosovo children in January 2001.     
  • 2007 Created an entirely new wellness movement called the ‘ART MASSAGE‘. Unifying massage with poetry, classical music, and movement, this revolutionary massage concept is designed to relieve the body from tension and stress and achieve harmony in one’s soul, mind and body. The concept has first been presented in the form of a theatrical performance, ‘Ars Corpus Vivendi in Musica‘, premiering at the Budva Theater City drama festival in 2007.

TV  Appearances 

  • 1992 Krovovi (The Roofs), a brief course in massage, Fridays on Politika TV channel, Belgrade, Serbia
  • 1994 “TV Clinic“, Channel 3 of the Serbian National Radio Television, Belgrade, Serbia
  • 1994 Women’s Stories, brief tv-reports on Channel 3 of the Serbian National Radio Television
  • 1995 Weekends on Saturday school of massage airing Saturdays on Pink TV Channel, Belgrade, Serbia
  • 1996 Excercize with Lokica, a TV-excercize show on Channel 3 of the Serbian National Radio Television
  • YEAR ? Mens Sana, Serbian National Radio Television, Belgrade, Serbia
  • godina??) Author of the Wellness&Spa section of the  ‘U Zdravom Telu‘ (Mens Sana) TV-show regularly airing on the #1 Serbian national television channel, the RTS1.
  • godina??) Author of a series of Wellness&Spa TV news reports for the celebrity TV host Biljana Obradovic’s ‘Biljana za Vas‘ (From Biljana to You) TV show’s Wellness Riznica (Wellness Treasure)

Acting Roles

  • 2017 TV-Series THE SINDJELIC FAMILY (Season 5), Pedja Filipovic plays Todor, Helena’s father.
  • 2017 TV-Series THE BIRTH OF A KINGDOM – THE NEMANJIC DYNASTY , Pedja Filipovic plays One of Vukan’s Key Men

  Membership in Professional Associations 

  • 2000 – present  Member of the Journalists Association of Serbia
  • 2004 – present Member of the Association of Dramatic Arts Professionals of Serbia
  • 2014 – present Member of the International Federation of Journalists IFJ in Bruxelles, Belgium, EU