Some photographs outlive the moment in which they were taken and become part of our collective memory. Among those images that tell stories more powerfully than words is a photograph by Novi Pazar photographer Irfan Ličina.
The award-winning photographer received the EU Audience Award for his photograph “Sava and Nadija” as part of the Beta’s Photo of the Year competition. The image also earned third place from the jury.
“I am truly happy to receive this award because I know that the photograph has found its own path and reached people’s hearts. The photograph itself and the reactions it evokes are my greatest reward and satisfaction. Of course, recognition like this are also important, as they give me additional motivation to continue my work and reassure me that everything I do is worthwhile,” Ličina said.
He admits that he was aware of the significance of the moment he captured in Kraljevo’s main square – the encounter between Sava, a Serb wearing a traditional ‘šajkača’ cap, and Nadija, a Bosniak woman wearing a hijab—but never imagined it would provoke such a powerful response or send a message that continues to resonate across Serbia.
“I expected it to send a message, but honestly, I never imagined it would have such an impact. I didn’t expect people to continue identifying with it or for it to become one of the symbols of the student movement,” he said.
Ličina added that when he first began working as a photographer, he firmly believed that photography had the power to change the world.
“I truly believe this photograph changed the world—or at least Serbia. I believe it helped break down prejudices that had been nurtured here for years: the idea that Bosniaks and Serbs are destined to live in hatred, intolerance, and conflict. This photograph conveyed the exact opposite message. It showed the entire country, and the world, that Bosniaks, Serbs, and all the peoples of Serbia can live together, that they can stand side by side in the same struggle and be part of the same story,” Ličina emphasized.
Ličina has received numerous national and international awards. His photographs have been recognized among the world’s best and exhibited in renowned galleries around the globe. Yet, he modestly says that what matters most to him is when a photograph sparks a reaction and stirs emotion.
“The photographs I cherish most are those that have inspired change—changes in the way people think and behave. I am especially proud of every photograph that has evoked an emotional response in viewers because I believe the purpose of my work is to awaken people’s inner feelings,” he added.
The Audience Award, presented as part of the Beta’s Photo of the Year competition, was supported through the project Promoting EU Values and Policies in Serbia, implemented by the European House in Serbia.
Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Plamena Halacheva, said that Sava and Nadija has become a symbol of what is possible when unity and solidarity prove stronger than division.
“The European Union stands for everything this photograph represents. The EU was built on a fundamental belief: that people divided by history, ethnicity, and religion can choose a different path. That solidarity and trust are stronger than suspicion and division. That the future belongs to those who are willing to build it together,” Halacheva said.
Sava and Nadija, together with other winning photographs from this year’s Beta’s Photo of the Year selection, will be exhibited in Novi Pazar starting on 7 July.