Prishtinë, 24 November 2023
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the event organized at the Faculty of Philology at the University of Pristina, within the Balkan Studies Program.
He expressed his pleasure to be among students from Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland and Turkey. “In this diverse gathering, we recognize the importance of education in fostering a deeper understanding of the world and each other,” said Prime Minister Kurti.
Further in his speech, he added that ”In a country and region with physical proximity, our divisions are maintained by the barriers we maintain through our speech, which then become barriers to other aspects of culture, barriers which The Balkan Studies program will break them.”
Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that the time has come for us to create similar ties with our neighbors, both in literal terms and in relation to the countries with which we share this region. May this graduate program serve as a cornerstone, not only forming a deeply united Kosovo and region, but also influencing the convergence and emergence of new cultural, political and economic currents.
He concluded his speech by thanking all those who contribute to the strengthening of a multi-ethnic, multicultural, multilingual Kosovo, based on our Constitution, as well as emphasizing the commitment of the Government through the Office for Community Affairs within the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, which this year has supported this program, offering scholarships specifically for students from non-majority communities.
“Our government strongly believes that education serves as a catalyst for the transformation of society, communities and individuals. We have not only provided free access to higher education, but have also expanded the scope of scholarships, including dedicated opportunities for students from non-majority communities in all study programs. Just last month, we created the legal framework for validating diplomas from all secondary schools in Kosovo, enabling students who have studied in Serbian here to apply to our public universities for the first time.” said Prime Minister Kurti.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Your Excellences,
Dear ambassadors of Greece, Croatia and UK, Madame Vakali, Madame Barisic and Mr. Abbott,
Dear professor Lindita Sejdiu Rugova, Dean of the Faculty of Philology at the University of Prishtina,
Dear Mr. Christoph Fuchs, Deputy Head of Mission at the Swiss Embassy,
Dear Mrs. Kavya Rajan Director of the Department of Human Rights and Communities at the OSCE mission in Kosova,
Dear Mrs. Virginia Negro Head of the Programme Support Unit at the IOM Kosova,
Dear students,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Those of you who have come to be with us in Kosova for the first time, I wish you special welcome to our country. Those of you who are returning, it is a pleasure to welcome you back. And those of you who are from Kosova, it is a pleasure to be with you.
This evening, we have students with us from Kosova but also from Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland and Turkey. In this diverse gathering, we recognize the significance of education in fostering a deeper understanding of the world and one-another.
Universities are home to a number of public goods, the source of the greatest amount of research about what we know about the world, from the inner workings of the brain to our philosophical interpretation of the world. This exchange has been facilitated through the use of language, the primary vehicle of human thought. The way we treat language, its study and use, will determine our society. The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein astutely wrote, ‘the limits of my language mean the limits of my world.’ The expansion of our words equates to the expansion of our worldviews. The more words we have, the better we see.
In a country and region of physical closeness, our divisions have been maintained by the barriers we hold through our speech, which then become barriers to other aspects of culture, barriers which the Balkanistics Programme will break.
Proponents of learning languages have advocated for languages as a key to a culture: you do not understand a culture without its language. But this intertwined relationship also holds true that you cannot learn a language, without learning its culture. Neuroscientist have found that in the brain of a bilingual person, both languages remain active even when speaking only one, demonstrating that language continues to function even when not spoken. When we learn another language, we also forever bridge what we consider to be authentically ours and that which consider as foreign.
Globally, almost two billion people study English as a foreign language, four times the number of native speakers. The majority of people in this group contributes to this statistic. Undoubtedly, this has fostered a more interconnected world—a world symbolized in this room, one unbounded in its depth of research and respect for the past, as well as its forward-thinking capacity to shape the future.
The time has come for us to establish similar connections among those in closest physical proximity—our next-door neighbors, both in literal terms and in reference to the countries we share this region with. The four-year program we celebrate here represents an immersion in each other’s worlds, fostering participation in a shared future. Graduates of this program will serve as cornerstones, not only shaping a deeply unified Kosova and region but also influencing the convergence and emergence of new cultural, political, and economic streams. These graduates will forever be enriched to encompass the diverse complexities of the Balkan region.
I extend my utmost respect to all those involved in facilitating the projects, including the students who have chosen this focus for their studies. My deepest gratitude goes to everyone who, in this way, contributes to strengthening the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multilingual Kosova, grounded in our Constitution. I am pleased to note that the Office of Community Affairs within the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosova, has supported this program this year, providing bursaries specifically for non-majority community students.
Our government firmly believes that education serves as a catalyst for the transformation of society, communities, and individuals alike. We have not only ensured free access to higher education but have also expanded the scope of scholarships, including dedicated opportunities for students from non-majority communities across all study programs. Just last month, we established the legal framework to validate diplomas from all high schools in Kosovo, enabling students who studied in the Serbian language here to, for the first time, apply to our public universities.
Tonight, marks the commencement of an exciting program of activities, and I am genuinely delighted that you will have the opportunity to explore some of our most captivating cultural heritage sites.
Thank you very much!
Last modified: November 27, 2023