The “Conquest of Freedom” award, traditionally presented for the 24th time by the “Maja Maršićević-Tasić” Foundation
The “Conquest of Freedom” award, traditionally presented for the 24th time by the “Maja Maršićević-Tasić” Foundation, has been awarded to police major Katarina Petrović. The award is given to women for their contributions to promoting human rights, the rule of law, democracy, and tolerance in political communication.
In its reasoning, the award jury stated: “Conquering freedom ‘from within’ is a difficult and exhausting process, but it is necessary in the fight for truth and justice. This year, the ‘Conquest of Freedom’ award is given to Katarina Petrović, a police officer who courageously stood against injustice and corruption. This brave woman has demonstrated what it means to conquer freedom from within, fighting for justice and the freedom of all. Katarina Petrović symbolises the fight against corruption and for fundamental human rights, justice, and freedom in society.”
In accepting the award, Katarina Petrović thanked the jury members. “It is a great honour to receive this award, and I would like to thank the wonderful women who nominated me for it. It is a privilege to stand here in such company,” she said.
The award recipient briefly reflected on a quote from Martin Luther King: “Our generation will not suffer so much from the evil deeds of wicked people as from the appalling silence of the good.”
This brave woman has demonstrated what it means to conquer freedom from within, fighting not only for justice but also for the freedom of all
The award is presented by a jury made up of previous recipients of the award: Bojana Savović, prosecutor, Staša Zajović, coordinator of the NGO Women in Black and activist, Milena Radulović, actress, Vesna Rakić Vodinelić, lawyer and full professor at the Union University Faculty of Law, Marija Lukić, founder of the “Marija Lukić Foundation”, Tamara Skrozza, journalist, Danica Vučenić, journalist and editor, Danica Popović, professor at the Faculty of Economics, Brankica Stanković, journalist and author of the show “Insider”, Dubravka Stojanović, historian and associate professor at the Department of History at the Faculty of Philosophy, Aida Ćorović, director of the NGO URBAN-IN, Mirjana Karanović, actress, Lila Radonjić, director and editor-in-chief of PG Mreža, Hedvig Morvai-Horváth, programme director of the Civil Pact for Southeast Europe, Ružica Đinđić, politician, Biljana Srbljanović, playwright, Goranka Matić, photographer, Olja Bećković, journalist, Svetlana Lukić and Svetlana Vuković Mesarović, editors of the website Peščanik.
Let us recall that the “Conquest of Freedom” award has also been given to women who, unfortunately, are no longer with us, such as Borka Pavićević, founder and director of the Centre for Cultural Decontamination, Verica Barać, president of the Council for the Fight Against Corruption of the Government of Serbia, and Srbijanka Turajlić, Serbian university professor and anti-war activist.
The “Conquest of Freedom” award was established in 2001 by the “Maja Maršićević-Tasić” Foundation to preserve the memory of Maja Maršićević-Tasić, a journalist and politician who fought for freedom and to promote the efforts of all women who continue to do so today.
