Queen Silvia of Sweden personally presented the world-renowned award to the "Novi Put'"Association from Mostar (A New Path) at a gala event at the Royal Palace in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, on Monday.

This award was presented to the representatives of the Mostar NGO, Abida Pehlić and Alma Muratović-Kajtaz for their engagement in protecting children from child trafficking and sexual exploitation, on the occasion of October 18, the European Day against Trafficking in Human Beings, the association announced today.

The association "Novi put" from Mostar is the winner of the prestigious international award for 2021, awarded by the Foundation "Child10" from the Kingdom of Sweden, for the fight against child trafficking and sexual exploitation of children, as well as the award of Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and her foundation "Care about children".

The "Novi put" association from Mostar is one of only ten awarded organizations, chosen from more than 90 nominations from 27 countries around the world.

The ceremony in Stockholm was attended by a large number of eminent personalities, key policymakers of the UN and the EU, invited by the Swedish Queen, to meet with the award-winning organizations.

The awards ceremony was followed by a high-level panel discussion with Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, Ilias Chatzis, Head of UNODC's Department for Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, Diane Schmitt. EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, Anna Ekstedt, Swedish Anti-Trafficking Ambassador and many others.