Mitrovica, 13 September 2025
The Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, together with the Acting Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development, Faton Peci, attended the solemn ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the Diakonie Training Center, held in the city of Mitrovica.
Marking this important anniversary of the Diakonie Training Center, in his address the Prime Minister stated that this Center stands as testimony to the power of building bridges among people. He added that centers such as this are places where wounds are healed, trust is built, and hope for the future is born.
In this ceremony, he underlined the contribution of the German state to Kosovo in the most difficult period of our country, expressing his deep gratitude and appreciation for the establishment of this center, which had begun merely as a project of hope. On this occasion, he expressed his thanks for the great work and immeasurable contribution of Rafael Nikodemus and Silke Schaum.
“We are grateful that, after the most difficult period of our country, in the year 2000, friends from the Rhineland in Germany and the organization Kindernothilfe from Duisburg contributed to the establishment of this center. What at that time began as a project of hope is today an institution for many young women and men. For 25 years now, this center has been a place that connects the youth with their future, with their careers, and with their dignity,” he said.
From the city of Mitrovica, which Prime Minister Kurti described as a symbol of resilience, he said that the aim is that our youth should not be compelled to leave our country due to lack of perspective. “We want to show and prove that Kosovo is a country of opportunity and of great potential. Our people are hardworking, capable, and full of will to build a good future,” he said, among other things. He added that during the last four years, with the growth of trust in institutions, more jobs have been created, more investments have been brought, and the country’s economy has become more productive, and Diakonie
is part of this sustainable development.
It is worth highlighting that at the Diakonie Center, thousands of young women and men have been trained throughout the years, acquiring practical professional knowledge in the installation of heating, water supply, and electrical systems, dry construction, tailoring, hairdressing, and other skills. In this regard, the Prime Minister thanked Diakonie for standing over the past 25 years alongside those who are most in need—children, women, persons with disabilities, and those who face trauma as a consequence of the war in Kosovo.
“In a society built on equality and dignity, Diakonie listens, opens doors, creates opportunities—without borders,” the Prime Minister stated.
In conclusion, while once again congratulating Diakonie on its 25th anniversary, the Prime Minister emphasized that today we celebrate a quarter of a century of solidarity and hope, as well as a success story of what can be achieved through equal partnership and a shared vision.
Full Speech of Prime Minister Kurti
Honourable Director of Diakonie Kosova, Mr. Bernd Baumgärtner,
Honourable Mr. Rafael Nikodemus,
Honourable Ms. Silke Schaum,
Honourable Mayor of the Municipality of Mitrovica, Mr. Bedri Hamza,
Honourable Acting Minister and Member of Parliament of the Republic, Faton Peci,
Honourable Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Jörn Rohde,
Dear partners, friends, and supporters,
Dear teachers, students, and employees of Diakonie,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today I have the special honor of speaking here in Mitrovica, a city that is not merely a place on the map, but a symbol of resilience.
Just like Mitrovica, the Diakonie Center, where we are gathered today to celebrate, stands as testimony to the power of building bridges between people.
Diakonie here builds bridges of understanding between people of all ages and communities. It is a place that teaches us that through diligent effort, we can create spaces and transform our lives through work and dedication to the community—that the true wealth of a community is found when everyone contributes to building something shared. The Diakonie Training Center is precisely one of these places.
We thank you, the esteemed staff of Diakonie, dear Bernd, and all those who have been engaged here until now. I know that a special gratitude belongs for their invaluable contribution to Mr. Rafael Nikodemus and Ms. Silke Schaum.
We are grateful that, after the most difficult period for our country, in the year 2000, friends from Rheinland in Germany and the organization Kindernothilfe from Duisburg contributed to the establishment of this center. What then began as a project of hope is today an institution for many young women and men. For 25 years now, this center has been a place that connects youth with their future, with their careers, and with their dignity.
Here in the Diakonie Center, thousands of young men and women have been trained over the years. They have acquired practical professional skills in heating system installation, water supply, electricity, drywall construction, tailoring, hairdressing, and more.
Most of them have found employment, built families, and today are pillars of their communities. I have also learned that your center produces one of the finest cheeses in all of Kosovo—an achievement not at all small considering the growing competition.
We thank Diakonie for having stood by those most in need over the past 25 years—children, women, persons with disabilities, and those dealing with trauma as a result of the war in Kosovo. In a society built upon equality and dignity, Diakonie listens, opens doors, and creates opportunities without limits.
Dear staff of Diakonie, I also wish to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the opening of the Diakonie House in Fushë Kosovë. This is a project of great social importance for the community, for it provides a safe space where people find support, care, and new opportunities for their lives. Such centers are places where wounds are healed, trust is built, and hope for the future is born. They play an irreplaceable role in strengthening social cohesion and in building a fairer and more equal society.
I thank you for your commitment and for the contribution you make every day for the good of the community.
Ladies and gentlemen, as Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, one of my greatest objectives has been and remains the integration of equality and social justice into the DNA of our state and society. To be a more social and more just state and society.
Therefore, at every stage of our governance, women and children have been at the center of our policies and efforts. For example, more than 16,000 young people between the ages of 18–29 have been employed through the government platform Superpuna (51% girls and 49% boys), with nearly 10,000 beneficiary businesses.
Through the initiative of our government, tuition fees have been abolished at the bachelor’s and master’s levels in all public universities of Kosovo. We have distributed 7,000 scholarships for students in the STEM fields, each scholarship valued at 1,000 euros, with the overwhelming majority awarded to girls and women. And we have established in Kosovo the dual education system, or as the Germans call it “Ausbildung”, with 12 profiles, in 23 vocational schools and 15 municipalities, with a total of 1,635 students, including fields where Diakonie is active.
Our objective is that our youth not be compelled to leave our country due to lack of perspective. We want to show and demonstrate that Kosovo is a land of great opportunities and potential. Our people are hardworking, honest, capable, and full of will to build a good future.
What we need is an impartial legal system, functional and efficient institutions, and equal opportunities for all.
We are seeing results in these past four years. We have seen that with the growth of trust in institutions, more jobs have been created, more investments brought, and the economy of our country has become more productive. And Diakonie is part of this sustainable development.
Therefore, I wish to express my profound gratitude to all partners, but especially to the following:
• The organization Kindernothilfe, for its uninterrupted support until 2024,
• Bread for the World and the Protestant Church in Rheinland, who now continue this mission with dedication,
• The organization Diakonie Saar for its presence and professionalism in Kosovo,
• The German Embassy in Pristina,
• KFOR, and above all,
• The 92 employees of Diakonie, who work every day to build better lives for the community.
And again, thank you, Mr. Rafael Nikodemus and Ms. Silke Schaum, who, with their personal dedication, have helped in establishing this center.
Honourable friends, today we celebrate a quarter of a century of solidarity and hope. A success story of what can be achieved through equal partnership and a shared vision. Let us continue this journey, to build a Kosovo where no one is left behind, a Kosovo where all children enjoy equal opportunities, a Kosovo that builds bridges that unite us, not walls that divide us.
Happy 25th anniversary!
Thank you from the heart.
