The last two texts that Nadežda, a sincere friend of BFPE, sent me from the hospital, two days before she left us, were an article from Le Monde about ‘eligible’ journalists to report from the White House and an article about the Katyn forest massacre, pointing to the decades-long efforts of journalists to uncover the truth about the perpetrators of the 1940 atrocities ordered by Stalin. She wanted the issue of media abuse, the responsibility of journalists and public intellectuals to be opened urgently, emphasizing that they must be in the service of truth, even if paying the greatest price.
That’s how I understood her latest effort to open a debate on the obligation of the media to not only report timely and truthfully to the public, but to face the growing challenges of the media and political cacophony in which lies and spin threaten the very society in which we live. She left this world fighting to the end for true and courageous journalism.
Nadežda Gaće was a real journalistic heroine: everything she did in her life she did with full strength and heart. She rarely mentioned the past, although she had every right to. She reported on the most challenging and difficult topics facing her beloved homeland – Yugoslavia. Which she never got over. Nadežda met, interviewed and socialized with the most prominent personalities who have marked the last fifty years of this complex and troubled Balkan area of ours. She was, at the same time, an engaged civic and anti-war activist.
She did not agree to pressures and blackmails, no matter who they came from. In 2011, she founded “Novi Magazin” with a group of associates, searching for a weekly that would have a will of their own and to be pro-European, different and true, politically significant and largely focused on culture and science. She incorporated herself into this weekly magazine and constantly expanded the circle of collaborators and admirers of “Novi Magazin”, regardless of the enormous financial problems experienced by all truly independent media.
One of the excellent collaborators of “Novi Magazin” wrote to me these days that he was grateful that “I had the opportunity to work with such a wonderful woman who showed such a level of humanity, love and joy in her work as none of the many editors I worked with”. Even in the battle with a stubborn and serious illness, she saw off “Novi Magazin” ready for press on Tuesday evenings, often around midnight, with love and joy, and I would add excitement, waiting for the reactions of both faithful readers and those who read it for the first time.
She discovered new talents, especially through the “Ogledi” (Gazed at) section. Young people appeared, determined to stand up for justice, solidarity and empathy. They pleased her soul. Therefore, texts about the life and sufferings of Roma were regularly present. She was persistent in gaining new associates. She hardly took ‘no’ for an answer if she cared about a certain topic.
It was very important to her that “Novi Magazin” be open to the world and new ideas, in critical thinking and knowledgeable sense, while providing attention to our immediate neighborhood. She was not afraid of excursions into the future, warning the public about climate change, artificial intelligence, but also about the danger of nuclear weapons and the possible misuse of new technologies.
Nadežda’s space was entered through a flowery corridor, which she nurtured with great care and love. Everybody sat down at her table with the expectation of a serious conversation and debate. We remain deeply grateful that she shared knowledge and love, curiosity and wisdom with us. There is a deep void with her departure.
Sonja Licht
This post is also available in SRP.
