Da se zna! Celebrated Its Ninth Anniversary

Last night we celebrated the ninth anniversary of our organization and presented awards to
individuals and a collective who stood out in the fight for LGBT+ human rights over the past 12
months.

The award for Queer Person of the Year went to Andrej Obradović, a gay man who was the
victim of brutal police torture solely because of his sexual orientation. After the incident, he
came forward publicly and became an activist and a fighter for justice.
The award for Ally of the Year went to Svetlana Pešut, principal of Primary School “Petar Kočić”
in Inđija, who bravely defended her students. A group of three girls at her school created a
poster on the theme of tolerance, featuring a rainbow flag and two girls holding hands. For this,
they became targets of attacks and accusations from certain parents, and later from
conservative public figures, politicians, and media outlets after one parent photographed the
poster and posted it on Facebook. Principal Pešut stood firmly for true values and protected her
students.

The award for Queer Collective of the Year was given to the drag collective Harem Girls, who
participated in this year’s Pesma za Evroviziju (Song for Eurovision). Their performance brought
them great popularity and visibility but also made them targets of attacks from conservative
homo- and transphobic groups and individuals. Within just a few months, Harem Girls have
made significant strides in normalizing the existence of queer people, providing education on
gender and sexuality, and popularizing drag art in the mainstream.