Nga Gazmend KAPLLANI –
I hope that the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and a few European bureaucrats present there will share her speech with the European MP’s and especially with the handful of EU countries which shamelessly and without any rationale still refuse to recognize Kosova’s independence and deny to the citizens of Kosova the right to travel without visas to Europe.
“I stand before you as a child of Kosovo who was born and raised in the United Kingdom and is here today as a guest of the United States. I come from a place most of you will have heard of but perhaps not in the way I’m about to describe. I want to share with you a little bit about my Kosovo.
Kosovans love to party, which is no surprise, perhaps, as 50 percent of the population is under twenty-five years old. I’m officially old in Kosovo. I heard a story recently about a visitor that went to Pristina, the capital city of Kosovo, being kept awake until the small hours by a lively crowd at a bar opposite her hotel…
The first concert I ever went to was Method Man and Redman. It was in Pristina, and I was thirteen. It was a bit random, really cool, and definitely not quite age-appropriate.
But it wasn’t like I had any actual choice of shows. Kosovo is just too small a market to be included on most world tours. So now we bring artists to Kosovo. And without exception, everyone that we’ve invited to perform at the Sunny Hill Festival, from Miley Cyrus to Calvin Harris, is just blown away by the whole experience. They say it’s one of the best shows they’ve ever done, as the energy is so roaring, the audience so present, and the welcome so sincere.
…….
However, appearances can be also deceiving. In many ways, life in Kosovo is tough and it undeniably bears the scars of years of war. Even for those who mercifully escaped the war, it nonetheless leaves its legacy. My parents left Kosovo in 1992 as tensions were rising. While they were fortunate enough to make a good life in London, there were years when they knew they couldn’t return home. That must have caused a pain that I can only imagine. Sometimes when I talk to my parents about this time, they can speak for hours. And other times it’s just too exhausting and they say they feel they’ve lived through three hundred years.
For me, having this dual identity has actually been really positive. I’m always flattered when people comment on what they call my immigrant work ethic. It’s true. It’s a gift that’s been passed down the generations. But even with a determined and bold national spirit, it takes time to recover and find a new footing.
Today Kosovo still faces many challenges, and often it’s the young generation who bear the brunt of it. Young people struggle to find work, and their opportunities are hampered by restrictions that make it difficult to travel for work or pleasure. After we fulfilled all the criteria, the European Commission actually recommended visa liberalization for Kosovo for more than three years ago. So do you think we could get that done now? Or…
Kosovo is also the youngest country in Europe in another way. We are just thirteen short years into our journey of independence. And as part of a strong international community, we will thrive emotionally. We will thrive economically and culturally. It’s in our DNA.
While it still breaks my heart that the United Kingdom chose to leave the European Union. Rather than dwell on this, I would rather recall that the first purpose of the EU is to secure peace through unity. Wouldn’t it be fitting if Kosovo could take its place within that peaceful union, thrive economically alongside our neighbors, and heal the hurt of recent conflict?
With that vision in mind—thank you. With that vision in mind, I accept this award with gratitude for all the young people of Kosovo. And to receive it on their behalf, I would like to invite Kosovo’s own young leader, Her Excellency President Vjosa Osmani, to the stage”.
