Prishtina, 27 May, 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the opening of the 21st edition of the Library Week, which was held in the premises of the National Library of Kosovo.
During the event, the results of the work of the National Library team were presented, together with cultural and cultural heritage organizations, as well as professionals and intellectuals from Kosovo and abroad, and the Digitization Center of the National Library was inaugurated.
“Over half a million euros of the funds of the Government of Kosovo have been dedicated to the digitization of the services of the National Library of Kosovo”, said Prime Minister Kurti in his speech.
Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that every citizen of the Republic of Kosovo already has access to digital archives, as an invaluable source for education and further development, when about 600 thousand digital objects have been digitized, including the Rilindja newspaper and rare and old collections.
The digitization of these materials is essential not only for easy access to information, but also for the preservation of knowledge and our history from destruction or oblivion.
“Our government prioritizes the preservation of memory as the basis of our national consciousness. Caring for every corner of Kosovo is a value inseparable from our daily life, education and philosophy of living in this country,” added the prime minister.
Also present at this event were the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Hajrulla Çeku, the Ambassador of the Republic of Albania in Kosovo, Petrit Malaj, professors and representatives of cultural institutions, and many book and art lovers participants, who were welcomed by u.d. director of the National Library, Bukurije Haliti, as well as other staff members of the National Library of Kosovo.
After the opening, Prime Minister Kurti visited the Digitization Center of the National Library, then the Project for “Access for Persons with Disabilities”, an investment made by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, and finally visited the exhibition curated by Patricia Nugee, with title “Kujtesa për Skënderbeun”.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
The honorable Mr. Hajrulla Çeku, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports,
The honorable Mr. Petrit Malaj, Ambassador of the Republic of Albania in Kosovo,
Honorable, Acting Director of the National Library, Mrs. Bukurije Haliti,
Dear, Mrs. Patricia Nugee, professional and literature collector,
Dear, Mrs. Blerta Ismajli, member of the Governing Council of the National Library of Kosovo,
Dear Mr. Liridon Zekaj, head of the Digital Library,
Dear Professor Arsim Sinani, from the Department of Anthropology at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Pristina,
Dear Mr. Alban Morina from CHwB Kosova, cultural heritage without borders
Dear representatives of cultural institutions, professors and students,
Dear art lovers, book lovers,
Today we have gathered to celebrate some of the pillars of our democracy: equality, open access for all and the preservation of human values. These are the foundations that guide us and strengthen our society. The Library Week in Kosovo is starting for the 21st time. As the central activity of the annual reminder of the importance of the library and the book, this year its program is very content.
The diligent teams of the National Library, together with the organizations of culture and cultural heritage, as well as the professionals and intellectuals of Kosovo and those abroad, will show us today their excellent work of several years. We will have the opportunity to see the results of their tireless efforts.
First, we will visit the Digitization Center of the National Library. This center is a testament to our commitment to preserve and protect our cultural heritage for future generations that will come after us. Then, we will follow the inauguration of the project “Access for Persons with Disabilities” with program manager, Alban Morin, from the Foundation for cultural heritage without borders in Kosovo. This project has created accessible spaces for people with disabilities in the facility of the National Library of Kosovo, ensuring that every individual will have equal opportunities to use the common resources.
Another important event is the exhibition “Kujtesa për Skënderbeun” with the collection of antique books of the British collector, Patricia Nugee. This exhibition reminds us of the importance of preserving our history and its links with world heritage.
Over half a million euros of Kosovo Government funds have been dedicated to the digitization of the services of the National Library of Kosovo, digitization which takes place through the Center for Digitization and the Digital Library Platform. So far, about 600,000 digital objects have been digitized, including Rilindja newspaper and rare and old collections. The digitization of these materials is essential not only for easy access to information, but also for the preservation of knowledge and our history from destruction or oblivion.
Burning and destruction at the hands of accidents or totalitarian regimes have not been able to protect these materials. Our people have worked to produce and compile these materials, and digitization surpasses its importance for easy access to information. It certainly makes it easier, but it is important in preserving the information, knowledge and knowledge of centuries of history and our culture, ensuring that forgetting is never an option.
Our government prioritizes the preservation of memory as the basis of our national consciousness. Caring for every corner of Kosovo is a value inseparable from our daily life, education and philosophy of living in this country. Our goal is to achieve social equality, and digitalization is a key tool for this, providing equal access for all to information, physical infrastructure and knowledge.
Last year, we achieved a great success by connecting 100% of the territory of our Republic with broadband internet. This achievement places us among the top 8 European countries, next to Switzerland and the Nordic countries, and well ahead of our region. Now, every citizen of the Republic of Kosovo has access to digital archives, an invaluable resource for further education and development.
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo prioritizes preservation as a function of memory, equality as an unbreakable standard and open access through digitalization. This is not only for the sake of transparency, but for the benefit of every citizen of Kosovo, inside and outside the country, to feel Kosovo as completely theirs and themselves as completely Kosovo’s.
Thank you!
Last modified: May 28, 2024