Prishtina, 27 December, 2023
Accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister, at the same time the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gërvalla Schwarz and the Deputy Minister, Liza Gashi, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti welcomed the second generation of the Citizen Diplomacy Program to the meeting.
In this conversation with the participants, Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that the experience of this program will serve us all to have as many successes as possible in affirming the Republic of Kosovo, justice and its successes, but also in improving our international image. , where emigration also plays an important role.
“Both in the academic and entrepreneurship aspect, as well as in the cultural and social aspect. That’s why we are here to help each other, so that the Citizen Diplomacy Program will be more and more successful, with new achievements from year to year”, added the Prime Minister.
He emphasized the continuous and unwavering support of the government to this program and its participants.
“We do not see our compatriots in a relationship, let’s say, that oscillates between nostalgic and folkloric, but we see them as a vital part of the Albanian nation, as a great chance for our country, whether in terms of socio-economic progress, as well and that of culture, education, and knowledge, which she has in the country where she is, we need it here in the country where they come from,” said Prime Minister Kurti.
On the other hand, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gërvalla Schwarz, expressed her satisfaction with the continuation of the program and the presence of such prepared participants, together with this extraordinary dynamic, which from January will continue with the implementation of various projects, not only in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, but also in other ministries.
Next, the prime minister listened to the stories, experiences, successes and reasons for the application of the participants, part of our diaspora in Germany, the United States of America and beyond, graduates in art, culture, foreign policy and others.
We greatly appreciate their willingness to contribute to the country and bring here the accumulated experience.
We remind you that this program aims to strengthen the connection of the diaspora with the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, creating opportunities for them to be directly involved in public institutions in our country through professional commitment, bringing their experience and contribution.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Good evening everyone and thank you very much for all of your time for this open conversation, at an important time for Kosovo, because the year 2024 is the year when the current government has the last year of its mandate, but at the same time achievements and new results are also expected. Both in the internal state aspect, as well as in the external international aspect.
We have the experience with those who were before you, but they were less than half your number, so I believe that this will serve both you and us to have as much success as possible in the affirmation of the Republic of Kosovo, of justice and its successes, but also in the continuous improvement of our international image, where our diaspora, our compatriots, where you come from, plays an important role. Both in the academic and entrepreneurial aspect, as well as in the cultural and social aspect. That’s why we are here to help each other, so that the Program for Citizen Diplomacy is year by year more and more successful, with new achievements.
Therefore, we count on you and you count on us in the same way. I am with my deputy, Donika Gërvalla Schwarz, who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and with Liza Gashi, who is the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and who knows our diaspora very well. I don’t know anyone who knows our diaspora better than Liza, maybe there is, but I don’t know, so even from the position of the prime minister, we helped Liza with everything we knew and could. But on the other hand, it has also helped the government a lot, so that in our foreign policy we can connect as well and closely with our compatriots.
We do not see our compatriots in a relationship, let’s say, that oscillates between nostalgic and folkloric, but we see them as a vital part of the Albanian nation, as a great chance for our country, whether in terms of socio-economic progress, as well as that of culture, education, and knowledge, which she has in the country where she is, we need it here in the country where they come from. I’m not making it any longer because I’m interested in hearing a little more from you, what you think you can tell us to do together, even better, even more.
Last modified: December 28, 2023