Published 03.06.2026. | Tena Mur
On 2 June 2026, the travelling exhibition “Behind the Front Lines: The Invisible Heroines” was opened at the Vukovar City Museum. The exhibition is organized by the Centre for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights Osijek.
Through personal testimonies of women from Eastern Slavonia, Ukraine, and Palestine, the exhibition creates a space for reflection on wartime experiences that have often remained invisible, overlooked, or insufficiently recognized.
The exhibition was authored and curated by Jelena Kovačević, while the photographs were taken by Petra Bučević. By combining photography and personal testimonies, the exhibition encourages dialogue on the importance of empathy, solidarity, and a culture of remembrance as essential foundations for building a more just and humane society.
At the opening, Natalija Havelka, executive director of the Centre for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights Osijek, emphasized the importance of creating spaces where the voices of women—whose experiences often remain on the margins of official war narratives—can be heard. She also highlighted the need for exhibitions such as this one to be accompanied by public discussions and round tables that foster a deeper understanding of the consequences of conflict.
Ivana Nadovski, Director of the Vukovar City Museum, reflected on the role of women in preserving life and community during wartime, noting that Vukovar continues to remember the grandmothers, mothers, sisters, aunts, and other women who carried much of the burden of everyday life during the war and the years of displacement.
The exhibition was officially opened by Ivica Nikolić, representative of Vukovar-Srijem County.
We would like to thank all participants who courageously shared their stories, as well as the visitors, partners, and collaborators who supported this event. Special thanks go to the British Council for supporting the project.
The exhibition “Behind the Front Lines: The Invisible Heroines” will remain open to visitors at the Vukovar City Museum until Friday, after which it will continue its journey. The next opening will take place on 9 June 2026 at the Požega City Library.
