At the invitation of the Swiss Federal Council, led by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mrs. Karin Keller-Sutter, the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, and the First Gentleman, Prindon Sadriu, have been invited for a state visit to the Helvetic Confederation on 21-22 May, thus marking the first state visit of a Kosovo head of state to Switzerland. State visits are the highest level of visits, i.e. a higher level than official visits, and occur very rarely, therefore, this also marks a historic moment in Kosovo-Switzerland relations.
President Osmani will be received with state ceremonies and high military honours by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mrs. Karin Keller-Sutter, at the central Bundesplatz in Bern on May 21st, in the presence of many citizens.
As part of the official agenda, President Osmani will hold meetings with the President of Switzerland and the Federal Council, as well as deliver a speech at the Swiss Parliament. Both presidents will also hold a joint press conference.
In honour of President Osmani and the delegation from Kosovo, President Keller-Sutter will organise a state banquet, thus honouring the lasting friendship and partnership between the two countries.
On the second day of the visit, President Osmani and President Keller-Sutter will visit a manufacturing company in eastern Switzerland, as well as a centre at the University of Saint Gallen, which is dedicated to developing a culture of learning and teaching areas of particular importance for the future of young people in Kosovo and Switzerland.
In addition, President Osmani will have a meeting in Geneva with the Albanian diaspora, who live and work in Switzerland.
The state visit of President Osmani is not only historic, but also symbolic, as it emphasizes the close, stable and multidimensional relations between Kosovo and Switzerland. They are relations built on shared history, democratic values and close state cooperation.
Our compatriots who live and contribute in Switzerland have become a powerful bridge connecting the two peoples and two states.
Switzerland was one of the first countries to recognize Kosovo’s independence in 2008 and since then has been one of the biggest supporters of the democratic, state-building and development processes of our country.
