Mitrovica, 9 August 2025
Distinguished attendees, citizens and residents of Mitrovica, and you who have come from other places to Mitrovica this evening,
Dear citizens,
Dear artists,
Dear Rona and the organizing team,
Honourable Mayor of the southern Municipality of Mitrovica, Mr. Bedri Hamza,
Honourable Mayor of the northern Municipality of Mitrovica, Mr. Erden Atiq,
Honourable Ambassadors of the Netherlands, Switzerland, Montenegro, and other diplomats accredited to our Republic,
It is a pleasure to be here with you tonight in Mitrovica, at this cultural event that each year gains more weight and meaning: Mitrovica International Jazz Days — which brings together the international and universal dimension of music, on one hand, and on the other, the distinctiveness of the jazz genre. This is a festival that delivers quality music, creates new connections, and enriches the cultural life of the city.
With nine concerts and the participation of artists from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, this edition has brought a unique combination of international talent and local hospitality. The public has followed it with enthusiasm, making the festival a natural part of the city.
Jazz is a musical language that leaves space for freedom, for improvisation, and for authentic expression. And it is precisely this spirit that is being reflected in the cultural life of an open, dynamic, and creative Mitrovica.
I want to thank all those who have worked for the organization of this festival. Organizing such an event requires great dedication and close cooperation between institutions, artists, and the community, and I am grateful to each and every one who has contributed.
A special thanks to the young people involved in this process. Their engagement in culture is an investment in our shared present and future.
These nine concerts are taking place on both sides of the Ibër, because this is your Mitrovica, the Mitrovica of all of us — on both sides of the Ibër — and no one can hinder or undermine this shared cultural development.
The Republic of Kosovo, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, will continue to support this festival of Mitrovica and all initiatives that strengthen cultural life in our country. Because where there is culture and art, there is development, understanding, and an environment for all equally.
Congratulations on this successful edition. I hope that the Mitrovica International Jazz Festival will continue to grow every year, bringing more music day and night, more cooperation everywhere, and more opportunities for Mitrovica itself and for all of Kosovo.
Thank you, and I wish you a beautiful and pleasant evening!
