Born from a great, once forbidden love, and today guided by faith, talent and extraordinary empathy – meet Katja Vasilev, a girl who, through her poems and actions, is building a more beautiful world for children. “Children of the World” is the title of a collection of poems that has won prestigious awards at many competitions, addressing children, but also adults, reminding them not to forget the heart of a child.
"That song is in the name of all children, it is my anthem and I will tell and address adults to have a child's heart, because this planet is wonderful and could be even more beautiful," Vasilev emphasized.
A Montenegrin mother, a Macedonian father, family roots from Kosovo and Metohija, and a childhood in Serbia – in her verses, a small Yugoslavia still lives quietly, woven from diversity and united by love.
"From my dad, from Macedonia, comes the singing and playing, and from Montenegro, on my mom's side, comes the beauty and spirituality. From Serbia, I inherited a talent for writing because Serbia has a lot of artists, mostly poets," said Vasilev.
However, her story is not just artistic. Humanity and fighting for others come from personal experience, but Katja finds her strength in faith.
"God is a special being for me and He forgives everything, He does not judge, He loves us, He never judges, and we are all sinners except Him," Vasilev emphasized.
Aware of the injustices she has seen, she responds to them with understanding and faith.
"Well, I'm not really sure that God allows that, but there are a lot of people who don't pay much attention to faith and the strength of God," she said.
He finds inspiration in the simplest messages, which he turns into verses.
"Let me tell you, my grandmother often tells me not to jump on the bed, you'll fall, and that's when I got the inspiration for the lyrics, and now when you hear it, you'll understand," emphasizes Vasilev.
As she continues to achieve success, Katja remains hopeful for the future – because faith and love are growing within her that are yet to illuminate the world. Perhaps that is why the message is simple: we need more children like this, but also us who recognize and preserve these values.
