Prishtina, 23 June 2026
The Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, attended the solemn academy marking the 40th anniversary of the publication of the magazine Dituria Islame.
In his address before the attendees, the Prime Minister emphasized that “this jubilee signifies not only the publication and continuity of a journalistic, cultural, and educational tradition in Kosovo, but also the advancement of knowledge, reflection, and the intellectual dimension within our society.”
He further added that during the 1990s, when Kosovo was under occupation and freedom of expression as well as information in the Albanian language faced severe restrictions, the magazine Dituria Islame preserved and continued its publication, serving as a space for information, reflection, and documentation of developments that affected our society.
“The Republic of Kosovo is built upon the values of democracy, freedom, respect for human rights, and equality of all its citizens. Our cultural and religious diversity is a treasured asset of society and one of the foundations of the coexistence that characterizes Kosovo,” stated Acting Prime Minister Kurti.
At the conclusion of his remarks, Acting Prime Minister Kurti expressed his wish that Dituria Islame will continue to contribute to the enrichment of public debate, the culture of dialogue, and public discourse in Kosovo, serving as a space of knowledge, reflection, and communication between generations.
Full Speech of Acting Prime Minister Kurti:
Honourable President of the Islamic Community of Kosovo, Mufti Naim Tërnava,
Honourable President of the Islamic Religious Community of the Republic of North Macedonia, Reisul Ulema, Shaqir Fetahu,
Honourable leaders and representatives of the institutions and structures of the Islamic Community of Kosovo
Honourable scholars, editors-in-chief, authors, and collaborators of the magazine Dituria Islame,
Honourable attendees,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Brothers and sisters,
It is my pleasure to be among you today at this solemn academy, marking the 40th anniversary of the publication of the magazine Dituria Islame. This jubilee signifies not only the publication and continuity of a journalistic, cultural, and educational tradition in Kosovo, but also the advancement of knowledge, reflection, and the intellectual dimension within our society.
For four consecutive decades, the magazine Dituria Islame has been an integral part of our public and intellectual sphere, addressing themes of faith, culture, history, education, and social life in general. It constitutes an important part of the heritage of religious journalism in the Albanian language and stands as one of the longest-running publications of the Islamic Community of Kosovo.
Founded in June 1986, the magazine has demonstrated resilience and dedication in presenting the social dynamics of different historical periods.
During the 1990s, when Kosovo was under occupation and freedom of expression as well as information in the Albanian language faced severe restrictions, the magazine Dituria Islame preserved and continued its publication, serving as a space for information, reflection, and documentation of developments that affected our society. Through its pages, the challenges faced by the citizens of Kosovo, as well as significant events of the time, were reflected. In this way, the magazine contributed to preserving collective memory and to bearing witness to the realities of the time for the generations that followed.
The commemoration of this 40th anniversary is an occasion to value the work and dedication of successive editorial boards, authors, scholars, publicists, and numerous collaborators who have been engaged with the magazine Dituria Islame throughout these decades.
During the post-war period, the magazine continued to be part of the intellectual, cultural, and educational life of the country, addressing themes related to society, education, culture, ethics, dialogue, and more.
The Republic of Kosovo is built upon the values of democracy, freedom, respect for human rights, and equality of all its citizens. Our cultural and religious diversity is a treasured asset of society and one of the foundations of the coexistence that characterizes Kosovo.
Therefore, the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo also value the contribution that religious communities provide to the social, cultural, educational, and humanitarian life of the country, as well as their role in fostering understanding, solidarity, and mutual respect. Interfaith harmony, built across generations, remains one of the highest values of our society and an important example of our democratic culture.
It is precisely in this spirit of mutual respect, coexistence, and democratic pluralism that we appreciate the contribution of religious institutions and communities to the cultural, educational, and social development of Kosovo, and in particular that of the Islamic Community of Kosovo.
On this occasion, I extend my congratulations and gratitude to the Islamic Community of Kosovo, the editorial board of the magazine, as well as all those who have been part of this long and successful journey.
In particular, I thank you for placing emphasis on knowledge. That is, on the hunger to know. You emphasize the hunger for days, for light, because from knowledge comes progress on the one hand, but on the other hand, through knowledge we preserve the activity of the mind. This is especially important for the younger generations, for those who come after us, for adolescents, to maintain curiosity and passion for learning. Mental passivity causes many problems. The hunger for knowledge, curiosity, and passion for learning are of utmost importance for those who follow us. We too must pass on the torch of inquiry, study, learning, and reading to them, just as previous generations have passed it on to us.
I wish that Dituria Islame will continue to contribute to enriching public debate, the culture of dialogue, and public discourse in Kosovo, serving as a space of knowledge, reflection, and communication between generations.
Thank you for the invitation and for your attention!
