Tel Aviv, Israel, 1 May 2017
Minister for dialogue, Edita Tahiri, during her stay in Israel, has held a series of meetings with organizations and personalities engaging in peace, including representatives of the “Shimon Peres” Centre for Peace, Women Wage Peace and with Israeli analysts and journalists.
Minister Tahiri visited the “Shimon Peres” Centre for Peace in Tel Aviv, whereby she was welcomed by Lara Portnoy, External Relations and Outreach Coordinator, who informed of the activities of this centre established in 1996 by Israel's ninth president and the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Shimon Peres. Ms. Portnoy stressed that the Centre for Peace aims to realize the vision of the former President and Peace Leader, Shimon Peres, for a prosperous Israel within a peaceful Middle East. She reported on concrete programs of this centre focused on building peace by creating advanced and innovative possibilities of dialogue between individuals from a diverse and multi-faceted spectrum, including: Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians. By focusing on common interests, the Centre for Peace continues to successfully establish lasting partnerships and friendships by removing barriers and fears, and by paving the way to a real and lasting peace between peoples.
Minister Edita Tahiri stressed that President Shimon Peres has been a visionary and inspirational leader for a more peaceful and fair world, from whose ideas Kosovo itself has been inspired in the efforts to create the state of Kosovo and peace in the region, on the principle of mutual recognition between states and peaceful neighbourhood in the region.
During her visit to Israel, Minister Edita Tahiri attended the meeting of the movement Women Wage Peace (WWP), which is a new, but powerful, movement in Israel that promotes peace and peaceful settlement of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Minister Tahiri held a speech in front of many participants of the meeting, whereby emphasized that peace is possible, therefore we must work with determination and courage for a future in peace. She spoke about the path of the Albanian people to the Independence of Kosovo.
“It was a long journey with the most sublime sacrifices, but we managed to win freedom and the state, to let younger generations enjoy and progress. Albanian women were as courageous as you are, and we never ceased work for freedom and independence of Kosovo. We reached the goal and now we are working on the Euro-Atlantic future of Kosovo, whereas we are ready to share our experiences of war and peace with others, with my message to you that difficult processes require long-term commitments but bring lasting success“stated the Minister.
In the framework of this meeting, after the end of her speech, Minister Tahiri held talks with some of the leaders of this organization, Lilian Weisberger, Anat Saragusti, Anat Negev, Huda Abu al-Arqub, Yael Admi, Yahaloma Zchut, Hiam Tanus, Saviona Rotlevi. Women Wage Peace leadership stressed that they are working to bring about a lasting peace agreement. “We intend to put the possibility of a peaceful solution to the top of Israel's national agenda, as it is the only result that offers life and hope, a new and diverse reality in the Middle East, we believe it is possible and we should strive for it” stressed the leadership.
Minister Tahiri also held talks with Israeli analysts and journalists, including Alon Ben David, Channel 10 News, Eran Cicurel, Israeli's National Radio, Adar Primor, I123 News, Anat Saragusti.
At the end of her visit to Israel, Minister Edita Tahiri visited the Jewish Holocaust Museum “Yad Vashem” in Jerusalem, a museum that memorizes the tragic history and unprecedented suffering of the Jewish people. Recalling the recent suffering of the Albanian people, Minister Tahiri stated that it is time to establish a Yad Vashem in Kosovo, an Albanian Holocaust museum, on the history of the Serbian genocide against Albanians, saying that such a proposal was given to the Assembly of Kosovo since 2003.
Last modified: 1 Maj, 2017