25/10/2024
Prishtina, October 24, 2024
The Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) hosted a panel discussion on the topic “How Can We Increase Interethnic Cooperation and Understanding in Kosovo?” as part of a project supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The aim of the discussion was to explore how the government and civil society can cooperate more effectively to promote interethnic cooperation and peacebuilding in Kosovo.
The panelists were Mr. Mentor Vrajolli, Executive Director at KCSS, Ms. Elizabeth Gowing, Advisor for Community Affairs at the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Mr. Leutrim Ajeti, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Gracanica, Mr. Miodrag Marinkovic, Executive Director at NGO Casa, and Ms. Marigona Shabiu, Executive Director at YIHR Kosovo. This consortium of panelists offered a diverse range of perspectives on the given topic by providing professional and personal insights on the successes, challenges, and opportunities for improving interethnic relations in Kosovo, demanding accountability and action from public institutions.
Some of the highlighted findings of the discussion revealed the following:
- There have been concrete initiatives undertaken by the Government of Kosovo to improve interethnic relations by providing employment opportunities among youth from several municipalities. There is, however, the need to promote these initiatives more effectively.
- At the local level, particularly at the Municipality of Gracanica, addressing problems of the citizens is at times more feasible when all parties cooperate beyond the political framework.
- The civil society representatives offered a slightly different perspective, by emphasizing that there are numerous issues that still need to be addressed, particularly for the Kosovo Serbs in the northern part of Kosovo. Nevertheless, civil society enables an environment where youth can discuss issues such as dealing with the past by getting familiar with more nuanced parts of history, which has not always been part of the media or dominant narrative.
This panel discussion was the kick-off event of a project, which is supported by National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and titled “Promoting Government Transparency and Accountability in Interethnic Dialogue.” This project will be implemented throughout 2024/2025 and aims to provide an insightful and comprehensive overview of the state of interethnic relations in Kosovo with the ultimate objective of suggesting the way forward for a sustainable, inclusive, and open dialogue between interethnic communities, government institutions, and the civil society in Kosovo.
