Honourable participants,
Honourable President of the Judo Federation,
Honourable Majlinda,
Dear Nora and Distria,
Honourable representatives from all over Europe,
Dear athletes from 26 different countries of the world,
Honourable Minister Çeku,
Honourable ambassadors, representatives of political parties!
I am very happy that tonight I can welcome you to the Republic of Kosovo on behalf of the citizens of our country, the youngest state in Europe, which has nurtured the culture of hospitality and the rich heritage of relations with friends for centuries, as its population is among the oldest in Europe.
I am particularly happy to be able to express this welcome to an extremely important event for the sport of Kosovo, one of the most popular sports in our country, that of judo. The Open European Judo Championship “Prishtina 2023”, the organization of which has been entrusted to Kosovo, besides being an extremely important sporting event, also marks an important step for the affirmation of our country in the international arena of sports. The championship creates an excellent opportunity to show that Kosovo is not only a winner of Olympic medals, but also exceptionally well organizes high-level European events, placing Kosovo among the countries with high organizational capacity.
The organization in our country is the result of the appreciations shown by the Judo Federation, which has benefited from the successes of our athletes and the Federation led by Mr. Kuka with exceptional coaches like Driton Kuka and with our champions. This is also recognition of the historic success of our champions, first of all Majlinda Kelmendi, the first Olympic champion of Kosovo in judo, who is undoubtedly a true champion and an inspiration for generations of our athletes and will forever remain the champion of our hearts. . Majlinda’s successes in the international arena, including the Olympic gold medal, are proof of the strength and talent of Kosovar athletes. The successes of our judokas who are already continuing this strong path, Nora Gjakova and Distria Krasniqi, who are already known as the best judokas in the world, have not only managed to win gold medals at the Olympic Games, but are helping to create a very positive image for our sport and for our country. These successes are never just personal victories, they are inspiring examples for the new generation and evidence that our athletes can not only compete, but also triumph on the international stage.
Sport is an essential part of our country’s culture and success. Therefore, organizing the championship here, in the capital of Kosovo, serves as a platform to combine pride with the successes of our athletes, making the championship an unforgettable event for Kosovar sport.
The Judo Federation of Kosovo deserves special recognition for the extraordinary work over the years in achieving results and organizing this championship. Thank you very much for your effort, and the level of organization shows that this Federation is not only capable of organizing such championships in a professional and successful manner, but also excels in such organizations.
This championship offers guests from all over Europe an excellent opportunity to get to know the youngest country in Europe. Participants and visitors can get to know the heritage, history and traditions of Kosovo, a country with a rich cultural heritage, numerous historical monuments and numerous events that make up the wealth and cultural diversity of our country.
This year’s championship is being held on the eve of the end-of-year holidays under its warm atmosphere despite the low temperatures. During your stay in Pristina, in addition to the sports passion, you will feel the special atmosphere of these holidays. Therefore, it is a great opportunity to experience a combination of sports, culture and festivities, making this event unforgettable for all of us.
I wish all the athletes lots of success in the competitions and I also wish the guests a pleasant stay in Kosovo, also allow me to wish you the end of the year holidays with the best wishes for all of you and your families!
Thank you very much!
