Pristina, December 9, 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the opening ceremony of the second edition of the Ulpiana International Forum.
In his address, he emphasized the historical and current importance of the diaspora. Some wars, waves of oppression, political persecution, and economic hardships have shaped, over the centuries, the migration of our fellow citizens abroad. Over the years, they have become a pillar of our society and economy,” said the Prime Minister.
The Ulpiana Forum aims to institutionalize the long-standing role in which our diaspora has been engaged, said the Prime Minister during his speech, while emphasizing the importance of the active involvement of the diaspora in the political, social, and economic ecosystem of Kosovo.
We have enabled our diaspora to vote because we believe that the government has an impact on many people, including those living abroad. I eagerly anticipate that in the month of February they will exercise their democratic right and decide on the future of our country,” he further added.
In the framework of the strategy for strengthening ties with the diaspora, Prime Minister Kurti mentioned several important initiatives and programs such as the “Dialogue with the Diaspora” program, under which over 200 meetings have been held in various cities around the world. He highlighted significant progress in the field of digital engagement with the initiation of population registration through the e-Diaspora platform, a process being conducted online for the first time, which began on April 5 and will conclude on December 31, 2024. Additionally, the Citizen Diplomacy Program is engaging young professionals from the diaspora to contribute to the development of Kosovo and to strengthen their ties with their country of origin.
In conclusion, the Prime Minister thanked all the participants, wishing them a successful and productive forum, and invited them to work together through this forum and other events to build upon the efforts made so far and to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Participants in the opening ceremony of the Ulpiana Forum included the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gërvalla Schwarz, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Liza Gashi, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Europe from Albania, Silda Anagnosti, ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions in Kosovo, ministers, deputy ministers, and Members of Parliament.
The “Ulpiana” Forum, as one of the most significant international events in the country, aims to network political and institutional structures working on creating innovative mechanisms for the connection and engagement of the diaspora, as well as to create opportunities for networking participants from various governments at the forum with global political leaders, academic organizations, and the diaspora, as well as various industries. In the second edition of this forum, there will be participants and presentations from over 30 countries around the world and a wide range of profiles.
Prime Minister Kurti’s full speech:
Dear Ms. Donika Gërvalla Schwarz, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora,
Dear Ms. Liza Gashi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora,
Dear international guests, government representatives, ministers, deputy ministers, members of Parlament,
Your Excellency ambassadors, representatives of diplomatic missions in Kosova,
Dear Rector of University of Prishtina, mr. Arben Hajrullahu,
Dear Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Europe from Albania, ms. Silda Anagnosti,
Dear representatives of international and local organizations,
Distinguished guest,
Ladies and gentelmen,
It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the second edition of the Ulpiana Forum. This forum is built to harness the immense power of the diaspora capital in diplomatic, social, economic and cultural aspect.
In academia, the concept of the diaspora only emerged in the 1970s, but its existence and impact long preceded that. Across the world, groups have joined together through a shared identity, transforming the newfound home country and that of origin alike.
We are no strangers to this. Several wars, waves of oppression, political persecution, and economic hardship have shaped, throughout centuries, the migration of our country’s people abroad. Over the years, they have become a pillar of our society and our economy. Our payback for this vast effort is not merely recognition, but also a commitment to fighting the binary notion that a person can only have one home; and, most importantly, that if you do not meet the strict criteria for belonging, you belong nowhere. We believe the opposite, namely that one belongs everywhere and is at home in both or more countries.
This forum seeks to institutionalize the long-played role that our diaspora has engaged in. This conversation is happening at the most crucial time—a time of political movements that also affect the lives of the diaspora and all people living in between.
What is often labeled as the far-right is not always the far-right. In Sweden, for example, the movement supports government spending. What these movements have in common is that they challenge the existing order and promise that a return to the past will bring greatness. This rhetoric puts many at risk because, as history shows, going back will not bring greatness. In his novel The Leopard, italian author Lampedusa, writes, “For things to remain the same, everything must change.” That is to maintain progress, we need new ways of creating it. Greatness cannot be found in the grief of past greatness but in the co creation of the newness.
The new also means creating new methods of engaging the diaspora. For us, this means that the diaspora must be an active member of the political, social and economic system. We have allowed our diaspora to vote because we believe that the impact of a government affects many, including those living abroad and might not spending entire year in their country of origin. This February, we look forward to them exercising their democratic right and deciding the future of our country.
One of the key initiatives under our framework is the implementation of the “Dialogue with the Diaspora” program, which has already seen over 200 meetings held in various cities around the world. This initiative aims to strengthen the ties between Kosova and its global diaspora community.
Our government has also made significant steps in the area of digital engagement with the launch of online population registration through e-Diaspora. This process began on April 5, 2024, and will run until December 31, 2024, marking the first time such a registration has been conducted online. Additionally, the government has introduced the Citizen Diplomacy Program, which brings together young professional from the diaspora in Kosova, motivating them to play a role in development of our country and strengthen their connecting with country of origin.
In this second edition of the Ulpiana Forum, I am proud to witness the diversity of participation and presenters from over 30 countries, spanning all continents and a wide range of backgrounds.
I wish you all the successful and a productive Forum with opportunities to connect and collaborate in the future. We now seek to work together through this forum and other events to see how we can build on these efforts and further strengthen our collaboration.
Thank you for being here with us on this journey!
Last modified: December 13, 2024