Launch of the fourth Edition of Kosovo Sustainable Development Week (KSDW)

On May 31, 2021, Balkan Green Foundation, along with the partners of Kosovo Sustainable Development Week (KSDW), marked the commencement of KSDW 2021, in which occasion the importance of the inter-institutional dialogue and public awareness on sustainability issues was confirmed once again. Similar to the previous editions, KSDW 2021 is being organized in close partnership between the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, EU Office in Kosovo / EU Special Representative, GIZ Kosova, Institute for Development Policy (INDEP) and Balkan Green Foundation (BGF).

The event was attended by representatives of the Office of the President of the Republic of Kosovo, the Office of the Prime Minister, line ministries, diplomatic missions, and civil society. Furthermore, special guests from the European Parliament greeted the guests with a keynote speech via video message considering the situation with COVID-19. The event was held with a limited number of guests in accordance with the anti-COVID measures, but at the same time, the KSDW audience was able to follow the event in real-time on KSDW social networks.

The event began with an artistic performance by students from the Green School Music Club who spread the message to attendees and audiences to take action to protect the environment and planet Earth through Michael Jackson's famous song 'Earth Song'. The guests were addressed by the Director of the School, Mrs. Fahrije Latifi Retkoceri, with a word of hospitality in the premises of the only energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly school in the region.

The event went on with the speech given by the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mrs. Vjosa Osmani, who emphasized that she believes in a green future and that this implies preserving the health of citizens. President Osmani marked that in order to achieve sustainable development, great cooperation is needed between all stakeholders and that she offers her full support in this regard.

Following the speech of the President, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Albin Kurti held his remarks. In his introductory speech, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Albin Kurti, said that the pandemic has created an unprecedented opportunity to work towards sustainable economic development. Mr. Kurti said he believes that social inequality and climate change, in addition to being the main dangers threatening the world, are also interrelated. Therefore, he assured that the Government he leads will always aim to make decisions that contribute to attaining sustainable development for the country. To conclude, Mr. Kurti said that we owe the commitment to a sustainable future to future generations, hence we shall all mobilize to achieve this.

At the level of ministries, on the one hand, the Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Mr. Liburn Aliu, said that sustainable development is a wide spectrum and that the implementation of strategies to achieve sustainable development should be inclusive, as this is the only guaranteed form to achieve sustainable development. He also wished that the Kosovo Sustainable Development Week raises awareness among citizens and he guaranteed the support of the Ministry he leads for KSDW. On the other hand, the Minister of the Ministry of Economy, Mrs. Artane Rizvanolli stated that sustainable development should be one of the daily focal points of our pursuits. “I am committed to ensuring that planning and decision-making is well-informed, realistic, affordable and as eco-friendly as possible. Simultaneously, as a Government, we remain committed to a constructive dialogue between us, civil society, the opposition, citizens, and our development partners in order to reach a consensus on these decisions.”

In addition to local representatives, the Rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament, Mrs. Viola von Cramon, marked that she is very happy to be part of the Kosovo Sustainable Development Week, as she is concerned about the environmental situation in our country. Mrs. Von Cramon called for immediate measures to be taken to align the environmental conditions in Kosovo with the countries of the European Union. Mrs. Cramon concluded that she hopes that the signing of the Green Agenda by the countries of the region will also result in economic growth and overall transformation.

Meanwhile, the German Ambassador, Mr. Jörn Rohde, emphasized the importance of the annual conference as a good opportunity for all actors to review and jointly agree on further steps towards Kosovo’s sustainable development: “Kosovo’s initiatives and efforts can count on the support of many stakeholders - including Germany, which is offering support in particular for circular economy, waste management and energy efficiency. A green, clean, healthy, and dignified future for all Kosovans can be ensured if action is taken now. Germany is glad to support these efforts.”

Opening remarks were also given by Mrs. Annette Fath-Lihic, Chief Political Adviser and Executive Coordinator at the EU Office/EU Special Representative in Kosovo. She claimed that there is a shared responsibility to preserve the environment and that rapid action must be taken to achieve a more sustainable environment. Mrs. Fath Lihic called for bold and coordinated actions for sustainable development, “I truly hope that this great initiative, which is Kosovo Sustainable Development Week, will bring us precious insights into what we can do for Mother Earth. We urgently need to get eco-friendly for the next generations.”

On behalf of the civil society, the Executive Director of the Institute for Development Policy (INDEP), Mr. Burim Ejupi, stated that Kosovo Sustainable Development Week provides expertise on which policies should be pursued in order for the Green Agenda to become a reality in Kosovo. From his part, he offered unconditional collaboration of INDEP to the governing institutions but also warned the Government that INDEP will monitor their actions to meeting the criteria and obligations arising from the Green Agreement for the Balkans, of which Kosovo is a signatory party.

This was also confirmed by the Programmes and Operations Manager of the Balkan Green Foundation (BGF), Mrs. Rinora Gojani. Mrs. Gojani emphasized that sustainable development, protection of water, air, and land have never been a priority of Governments in Kosovo. Regardless, Ms. Gojani said that the speeches given by the government throughout the event give hopes that sustainable development will be supported and accompanied by technical assistance. She also promised support to the Government in decisions that serve sustainable development but also unsparing criticism whenever this development is not taken into account.

The event ended with the unveiling of the KSDW 2021 program, which has numerous activities to be held until June 11, open to attend by all interested parties. To join the main and side events, follow the KSDW Facebook page and the ksdw.rks-gov.net website.

This event took place in parallel with the EU Green Week event organized by the Directorate-General for the Environment within the European Commission, which serves as an opportunity to engage all relevant stakeholders and interested citizens towards reaching the zero pollution target and clean environment.