Seventeen-year-old Petra Canovic, a student of the School of Design in Belgrade, took second place in the senior competition of the international FAI Young Artists Contest 2020, on the theme "Flying yesterday and tomorrow". For the first time, a young Serbian artist was among the winning works of this vibrant international art contest.

Petra Čanović, School of Design, Belgrade, Serbian national winner & 2nd in the international contest (senior category)

Petra won the national contest in the senior group, from a total of 1135 works by children from Serbian schools, and  earned second place at the international level, with children from 13 countries participating in the contest: Canada, China, Finland, India, Japan, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, the UK, the US and Serbia.

The love that children from Serbia have for this competition is revealed by the number of artworks that arrived at the Aeronautical Union of Serbia. In 2020, as many as 1135 works by children from 66 primary and secondary schools, eight preschool institutions and five art workshops, were entered in the contest! The contest’s theme 2020 was "Flying yesterday and tomorrow". Children have, independently, and with the help of their educators, teachers and parents, responded enthusiastically to the theme.

Mirja Mikić, Elementary School Svetozar Markovic, Lapovo, winner in the intermediate category

Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the prescribed state measures banning the gathering of more than 10 people, the exhibition of the winning works and the formal announcement of national winners in the NAC Serbia building could not be organized. The Aeronautical Union of Serbia surprised the winners by sending recognition and gifts by post, and some schools organised a ceremony at the local level. The children's winning works were published in Sports Aviation, the annual magazine of the Aeronautical Union of Serbia, and the Serbian media also published news about the contest.

• See all pictures and winning paintings

Anica Radonjić, PU Children's Days, Belgrade, winner in the junior category

National winners - Serbia

Best works 1st group - children aged 6 to 9 years / junior category (children born between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2013)

1. Anica Radonjić, PU Children's Days, Belgrade
2. Vera Jovanović, Atelje Kabupa, Belgrade
3. Mila Đorđevic, Elementary School Branko Radicevic, Vranje

Best works 2nd group - children aged 10 to 13 years / middle category (children born between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2009)

1. Mirja Mikić, Elementary School Svetozar Markovic, Lapovo
2. Stefan Todorović, Elementary School Aleksa Dejović Sevojno EB Zlakusa
3. Tamara Miščević, Atelje Kabupa, Belgrade

Best works 3rd group - children aged 14 to 17 years / senior category (children born between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2005)

1. Petra Čanović, School of Design, Belgrade
2. Jovana Ruvidić, School of Design, Belgrade
3. Helena Hristov, School of Design, Belgrade

Mila Đorđevic, winner of the third prize in the junior category (aged 6 to 9 years)
at the national level of the art contest.
Eight-year-old Mila is a student at the elementary school Branko Radičević in Vranje (southern Serbia)
and is a member of the Children's Association of Vranje as a young artist.