Last night, the opening ceremony of the WCM’s “Speaking Out” Exhibition was held at the Endžio HAB in Belgrade, where it will remain on view for the duration of the wartime sexual violence awareness week, October 2–8.
Maja Žilić spoke on behalf of one of the organizers of the awareness week, YIHR Serbia, and briefly introduced the program, noting that “the time has come to talk about conflict-related sexual violence in Serbia.”
WCM’s Amina Krvavac stressed the importance of creating spaces and platforms where the voices of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and children born of war can be heard, adding that it is necessary to offer these persons support in their fight for justice and fulfillment of human rights.
Midheta Kaloper Oruli, speaking on behalf of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence with whom the Exhibition was co-produced, said how glad it makes her to have youth from Serbia and Bosnia supporting the survivors and opening the dialogue on wartime sexual violence in Serbia. “Take a close look at our messages and our wishes, the greatest of which is justice for survivors, and punishment for perpetrators,” concluded Kaloper Oruli.
Ajna Jusić, a child born of war, noted how all the visitors of the “Speaking Out” Exhibition can draw important lessons from these women who went through the worst experiences. “And the most important of these lessons is the choice not to pass on evil, violence and hatred, but fight for good.”
The “Speaking Out” Exhibition was produced in cooperation with the Forgotten Children of War Association, the Wings of Hope Foundation, the PSIHOLAB Association, YIHR Serbia, Women in Black, Autonomous Women’s Center in Belgrade, with the support of the UK Government, UNDP Serbia, Medica Mondiale, Engagement Global, and Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
