Prishtina, 20 May, 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the opening ceremony of the 8th edition of PITF – the International Theater Festival in Pristina “Burbuqe Berisha”, at the “Faruk Begolli” Theater in AAB College.
In front of those present, he said that the PITF Festival this edition also comes as part of the wide development of artistic and theater capacities in Kosovo.
“Your artistic work, along with examples of networking and cooperation models, marks Kosovo as a contributing state, not just a participant. The diverse presence at your festival shows that our Republic, as it has been and remains, is welcoming to good works and to our friends who deeply believe in the social and cultural values of art and culture as an expression of democracy and society,” said Prime Minister Kurti.
Speaking about art and politics, he said that they are two different things, which should be independent, but cannot be separated, and that this is taught and proved not only by the history of the ancient period, where we find both, but the whole story in each of its periods.
Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that the Government of the Republic of Kosovo has created powerful catalyzing and empowering mechanisms in terms of infrastructure, taking over the protection, revitalization and renovation of theater spaces in Kosovo.
On this occasion, he mentioned the successful implementation of the new Law on Culture, which has reformed all legislation in culture with the highest standards and research work in cooperation and consultation over two years, with local and international actors. As he said, we will also see their effects in the long term, where for theaters the bureaucracy is reduced, the opportunities are increased and the doors of cooperation are opened even more.
At the end of the speech, the Prime Minister pledged that the Government of the Republic of Kosovo will continue to be close to artistic initiatives that represent the spiritual power of Kosovo, as a worthy and creative contributor in the Balkans, Europe and beyond.
As part of last night’s ceremony, the Prime Minister also visited the exhibition of the photographer Arton Humollit, entitled “HER”, with which he won several international awards.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
The honorable Mr. Hajrulla Çeku, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports,
Honorable Professor Zijad Mehiq, director of the Prishtina International Theater Festival 2024,
Honorable ambassadors, of the Republic of Albania, Petrit Malaj, a well-known former actor, and of Montenegro, Bernard Ҫobaj,
Dear Mr. Blerim Olluri, Rector of AAB,
The honorable Lulzim Tafaj, founder of AAB and well-known poet,
Dear representatives of cultural institutions,
Dear artists and art lovers, professors, teachers and students,
Dear attendees,
Thank you for your invitation to this important year for the Prishtina International Theater Festival (PITF) and the theater scene. The PITF festival this edition also comes as part of the wide development of artistic and theater capacities in Kosovo. Your artistic work, along with examples of networking and cooperation models, marks Kosovo as a contributing state, not just a participant. The diverse presence at your festival shows that our Republic, as it has been and remains, is welcoming to good works and to our friends who deeply believe in the social and cultural values of art and culture as an expression of democracy and society.
Your valuable contribution also lies in the testing and tempering of “consequence-free” realities, which theater does best of all the arts. Bertoldt Brecht did not like mirrors that reflected reality, but on the contrary tempered it. In the same way, your work shapes and shapes the everyday, examines the past and projects the future.
Of course, there is a connection between politics and art, because some of you may have said what he is doing here who is talking right now before the show. Politics and art are two different things, they must be independent, but they cannot be separate, and this is taught to us since the period of antiquity, when art and politics, especially theater and government, are of the same age, so exactly in antiquity. And that they do not remain separated from each other, not only the history of the period of antiquity teaches us, but the whole history in each of its periods. I learned that the first show will be about the boxer Muhammad Ali. Here again there is a connection between politics and boxing as you may have felt that anyone who even remotely follows politics, not boxing. Just like in boxing and in politics, people find out very early that victory or not depends not only on the skill and strength of the boxer, but also on the opponent, on the quality of the boxing gloves and I believe even on the quality of the ring ropes sometimes. So with what measures do they support you so that you don’t fall and return you to the ring to continue the battle, of course, until victory.
Now we are going back to the script here, what others have written to me.
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo has created powerful catalyzing and empowering mechanisms in terms of infrastructure, taking over the protection, revitalization and renovation of theater spaces in Kosovo. We have successfully implemented the new Law on Culture, which has reformed all legislation in culture with the highest standards and research work in cooperation and consultation over two years, with local and international actors. We will also see their effects in the long term, where for theaters the bureaucracy is reduced, the opportunities are increased and the doors of cooperation are opened even more. We have supported the independent scene every year with exponential growth, where theaters have been supported at the central and local level with special packages and with the consolidated subsidy system.
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo will continue to be close to artistic initiatives that represent the spiritual power of Kosovo, as a worthy and creative contributor in the Balkans, Europe and beyond.
Thank you and congratulations.
Last modified: May 21, 2024