Prishtina, 20 December, 2022
The complete speech of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, at the reception organized by the Embassy of Israel in Kosovo, marking the Hanukkah holiday:
Your Excellency Ms. Tamar Ziv – Ambassador of Israel to the Republic of Kosovo,
Your Excellency Ms. Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo,
Dear members of parliament, ministers, mayors, ambassadors and diplomats,
Dear guests and friends,
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, I would like to express my best wishes to the Jewish community in Kosovo and around the world on the occasion of Hanukkah.
Hanukkah is a celebration of the powerful story of liberation, in which the Maccabees freed the Jewish people from domination and rededicated the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
Lighting a candle in the Menorah, an eight-branched candlestick, each night commemorates the story of the oil lamp that burned for eight days, although there was only enough oil to burn for one. This story reminds us that even when our resources are limited, our faith can help us make the most of what we have.
We also know that the story of Hanukkah is the story of people who not only move forward in the face of tragedy, but who are devoted to their faith and proud of tradition and grateful for the many miracles and blessings in our lives.
As we remember history and the lessons that can be learned from the past, I would like to emphasize the common history that the Jewish people share with our nation – a history of oppression and persecution that our people suffered in different times and places, but one history who triumphed with freedom and liberation for both nations.
The Albanian people of Kosovo have stood by the Jewish people in the most difficult times during the Second World War, where dozens of Albanian families sheltered the Jews and helped them escape from the worst.
Many years later, a similar story was repeated, but this time the Albanian people of Kosovo were in need. Jewish families in Israel were those who also opened the doors of refuge to many of our refugees. And this history of solidarity between our peoples is already laying the foundations for close cooperation between our two countries.
We are rapidly developing this cooperation in many areas: education and culture; archives and cinematography; economic cooperation; agriculture and water sector; science, technology and innovation; health and medicine, as well as many other areas of common interest.
Kosovo enjoys a rich cultural diversity, where different cultures over the centuries have left tangible and intangible traces. And this cultural diversity is further enriched by the traces of Jewish culture and the Jewish community, which stretch back centuries in our history.
In order to further strengthen this cultural and spiritual connection, we have taken concrete steps towards the establishment of the Jewish Cultural Center in Prizren. This center will be located in the cultural heritage facility within the Historical Center, and after restoration and adaptation, a prayer hall will be located – a synagogue and museum that tells the story of friendship between our nations.
We intend to turn this center into a connecting point for cultural cooperation between Kosovo and Israel and with other countries with significant Jewish populations.
To return to today’s holiday, let me conclude by reiterating that Hanukkah is a celebration of hope, freedom and victory. It is an opportunity for us to celebrate our shared values and to be grateful for the strong bonds of prosperity that we have forged as democratic and multicultural countries.
As many of you know, the name Hanukkah comes from the Hebrew word for dedication. Therefore, I would like to invite everyone to dedicate this occasion to our common efforts for a more peaceful world. Let’s rededicate ourselves to doing everything we can to shine a light on hate, so we can end hate.
Let us remember that in the end, light will always triumph over darkness and freedom will flourish against oppression.
As the candles are lit this season, I wish you all a happy and prosperous Festival of Lights.
Thank you.
Last modified: December 21, 2022