It is difficult to speak after Vasfije, who, despite the emotions that continue to be strong, full of pain even 25 years later, gives a message in few words, but with an extraordinary power that has managed to break barriers, fight stereotypes and stigma, but also to convey the strong and courageous voice of survivors of violence not only here in Kosovo, but all over the world.
Thank you Vasfije and Shyhrete for turning this pain of Kosovo into an unrelenting message of a call for justice.
You have succeeded in demonstrating all over the world that those who thought they could dishonor Kosovo have never succeeded and will never succeed in doing so because you are the heroines, you are the pride, and you are Kosovo’s honor itself.
Throughout these 25 years, the KRCT, led by Feride Rushiti, has done something difficult to describe in words in a speech. Therefore, a heartfelt thank you on behalf of all the citizens of Kosovo for becoming a safe house, a place of refuge not only in the physical aspect but above all, in the emotional aspect for countless victims, who found trust in you, they found support and above all, they made sure that they can speak in front of the people of Kosovo, they can speak to the world and they can continue together with each of us our the unstoppable fight for justice.
It is work which, as you rightly said, does not have an end on this 25th anniversary, but has only a beginning, because I want to assure you that our support for you will not stop, but will increase, it will continue and we, women and men of Kosovo, but also from all over the world, will fight for this cause, will be more and not less in numbers in each passing year.
Throughout these 25 years, we have constantly remembered the pain of the past, but we have also witnessed that despite this pain, there is courage, there is hope and above all, there is an unwavering determination for justice.
Unfortunately, as in other countries before the war in Kosovo, even in Milosevic’s genocidal war against our people, sexual violence was used as a weapon, I would say the most cruel weapon known to humanity, to cause pain that would span generations. So, not only our generation that experienced the war but also the generations of our children and the generations that would be born after the war.
But, despite everything, history witnessed and our people witnessed an indomitable resilience, an extraordinary endurance. And this was proven through the courage of the survivors to raise their voices. And they showed an eternal truth that our nation has shown over the centuries, that there is no force, no crime, no matter how brutal it is, that can break the spirit of a people seeking freedom. There isn’t one!
Hence, today with your presence, you are proving that we must fight so that history does not repeat itself. While we know that it is not enough to simply remember the past, injustices must never go by in silence, and justice, we all know, cannot be achieved without holding the perpetrators accountable for the crimes committed.
For this reason, our joint focus should be centered precisely on the fight for justice and we know that this fight for justice is not easy. But this should not at any moment deter us from our common goal to create every day more and more effective mechanisms that support survivors of sexual violence during war. This battle requires persistence, it requires courage and sometimes even extraordinary patience.
I am happy that over the years Kosovo has built mechanisms that have shown success, but as Vasfije also said, we must do even more so that every survivor feels the support of the state.
We must never remain passive in the face of injustices, even when it occurs in other countries of the world. Therefore, I am proud of the work that Vasfije is doing, as the President’s Special Delegate for sexual violence during the war, and at the same time Shyhretje, also as the President’s representative for transitional justice, who through their stories and the story of Kosovo are support survivors in countries like Ukraine, in countries like Iraq, in different countries on the African continent, in the Middle East and all over the world.
In addition, at the global level, Kosovo has become a meeting place through the International Forum for Women, Peace, and Security, where the main focus is precisely our common voice for the prevention of sexual violence during war. And, in all this work, unsparing support has been provided, especially by civil society organizations, starting from KRCT, Medica Kosova, Medica Gjakova, and all other civil society organizations that you see today among us and others that are not here also those from our amicable countries, which together with us continue to raise their voice against this terrible crime.
And precisely this genuine cooperation with civil society has managed to turn Kosovo, as I said, into the only country in Europe that has been selected by the Office of Secretary Blinken for the Center of Excellence for Women, Peace, and Security, which will also unite not only our countries in the region, but also beyond, to have even more efficient mechanisms for the prevention and elimination of sexual violence during war.
Along with the successes, we must also accept the challenges of our society.
In our society, and globally, they remain present, the stigmatization, which then pushes the constant silence among the victims, and the failure to bring criminals to justice are obstacles that we must address and overcome together because our cause is right and our cause is greater than each of us individually.
And I know that during this joint traversing, more and more supporters will join us. Therefore, today I invite all of you, including those who follow us through the screen, to remain committed to this cause, let’s be together to make a real change, prevent sexual violence during war anywhere in the world, and bring to justice those who have committed such crimes.
To work resolutely to end the silence, to encourage as many survivors as possible to come forward and courageously seek justice, just as Vasfije, Shyhrete, and many, many survivors who have received support from civil society and institutions.
Today we are not only remembering what happened, but through this work, we also act together and show that there are many, many supporters outside this hall through whose work we are building a future where sexual violence should never again be used as a weapon of war, but remain as a reminder of the past and prove to us all that the greatest strength in this world is precisely the courage of those who refuse to be defeated in the face of such crimes – courage which the survivors of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo have shown every day.
So let us continue to join forces and our voices and make sure that justice triumphs!
Thank you!
