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Young artist and activist for women's and human rights. She says that she is constantly fighting for the eradication of patriarchy in this area. She dances, connects, does visual arts. However, she prefers to write - poetry and feminist fairy tales for children. Some of her works are equally accessible to everyone, whether they speak Serbian or Albanian. She writes in her mother tongue, but strives to present her writing to all his compatriots, and therefore translates them. She is the author of the collection of love poetry "Eternal Trace", while "Unwavering" is still waiting to be published. We are talking to Mila Mihajlović, who lives and works in Kosovo.
When did writing become your area of interest?
I expressed my first interest in writing in the seventh year of my life, while I started actively creating at the age of eleven. Since then, I have been constantly trying to find eternal sources of inspiration for the works that I truly want to leave as a legacy to future generations.
You write only in Serbian…
Yes, I write exclusively in my native language. It is not the separatism of my language from others, nor the elevation of the same, but the absolute availability of freedom of expression that I believe is necessary for every artist to express his complete emotion. But, after expressing complete emotion, the written works are translated.
Are they translated into Albanian? Why?
Yes, with the help of people dear to me, I manage to translate my works and thus make them available to my compatriots, which is one of my greatest joys. In addition to wanting to point out to people the importance of art and its beauty, and with my works I want to create connections between ethnic groups and a better future for all people in Kosovo, regardless of their nationality, gender, identity and everything else.
How well do you know Albanian? Are you learning the language?
I started learning the basics of the Albanian language at home. Previous generations of my family had a handful of opportunities to learn it, and it was passed down from generation to generation. As for my individual knowledge of this language, I can freely say that it is improving every day. Learning the languages used in this area is extremely important, because only in this way can we destroy the language barrier, which is an enormous problem in Kosovo.
Your debut "Eternal Trace" was released last year. It is currently being translated into Albanian. What kind of book is this?
It is a collection of love poetry written in a contemporary style that exudes a note of strong feelings, with the aim of creating an eternal memory of an intriguing love story. Each verse of the book has a formed dedication and, in addition, that dedication represents the most important segment of each poem.
Your second book should see the light of day. Is it in some way a sequel to your literary debut?
In addition to my hope that it will soon be available as a publication, it is necessary to face the reality in which certain material problems have formed that represent an obstacle in its publication. "Unwavering", in addition to the goal it shares with the previous collection, also strives to instill hope in young women in love and encourage their courage which God gave them at birth. I deeply hope that it will be available to the public soon.
You say that with your actions you want to create connections between ethnic groups. The ‘connections’ you are talking about are as important as building trust ... Do you believe it is possible?
Trust is a process that requires long-term formation, and which, when built, can collapse in a second. But, in addition, it is the primary pillar in building a stable, developed and equal society. Trust can only be created if we are ready for an objective and fair dialogue, and now is the time for that.
