The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Ms. Albulena Haxhiu, participated today at the opening of the “Chronology of Freedom” exhibition, by photojournalist Ridvan Slivova.
In her address, Acting President Haxhiu expressed gratitude to Ridvan Slivova, as well as to the journalists who contributed to the documentation and disclosure of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide committed by Serbia in Kosovo.
“We understand that the circumstances in which you have acted have been extremely difficult and challenging. Very often, your very lives have been at stake. For this, allow me to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done and for the fact that you have never stopped in exposing these crimes”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu.
She also added that today Kosovo has the Institute for War Crimes in Kosovo, an indispensable institution for the documentation, verification and preservation of historical truth.
“We have acted properly, as institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, and now have this Institute, which will assist in the documentation and verification of all war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity”, she said.
Acting President President Haxhiu said that since ancient times, when humanity discovered that light can preserve the appearance of the world in a dark room, photography began its journey towards modern memory and, over time, became evidence of the great historical events of peoples.
“In Kosovo, in times of war, one took up arms to defend the country, another treated the wounded, and someone took up the camera to defend the truth. This is exactly what you have done, Mr. Slivova, as well as many other journalists who are here today, but also those who are no longer among us”, said the Acting President.
She said that Ridvan Slivova belongs to those people who, during Kosovo’s most difficult days for Kosovo, understood that photography could become evidence, memory and voice of a people who were experiencing genocidal violence and ethnic cleansing.
“Today, photography has become part of our daily lives. With a phone in hand, anyone can capture a moment. But in times of war, photography takes on a different weight. It preserves evidence. When speech is stopped by fear, when people are expelled, when houses are burned and when crime tries to leave no trace, the camera becomes the eye of history. Thanks to that eye, today we have images that speak of our most difficult time and our most difficult path,” she said.
According to madam Acting President, the “Chronology of Freedom” exhibition brings before us a part of that period that Kosovo has lived with great pain, but also with resilience and hope.
“Ridvan Slivova’s photographs were taken at the moments when history was happening: in the days when people were being expelled from their homes, when families were being separated and when entire columns were moving under the open sky. Hence, they are part of our truth. Ridvan Slivova has created an archive of over a thousand photographs from that period, a precious documentary treasure for Kosovo. Behind each of them lies the photographer’s eye and the human conscience.”
Acting President Haxhiu added that on Prishtina Martyrs’ Day and the 27th anniversary of the Gollak massacre, these photographs take on special weight, because in them lives the memory of the victims and those who fell for freedom, as well as the truth of what happened.
“Gollak bears its wounds. Pristina bears the names of its martyrs. Every part of Kosovo preserves its memory, painful and proud. Our task is to ensure that this memory does not remain only in the hearts of families, but becomes part of our national consciousness”, she said.
The Acting President announced that, after the exhibition is over, the materials will be handed over to the Institute of War Crimes in Kosovo. On this occasion, she called on all citizens who possess photographs, documents, recordings or any other evidence from the war, especially evidence of crimes committed in Kosovo, to hand them over to this Institute.
“It is extremely important that these materials do not remain in private drawers, scattered or lost, but are preserved where they serve our common memory, justice and our history”, she emphasized.
Addressing the youth of Kosovo, the Acting President Haxhiu said: “Look at these photographs carefully. In them you will see the suffering of our people, but also their strength to survive and not give up. You will see that the freedom we enjoy today was paid for very dearly.”
At the end, Acting President Haxhiu expressed deep gratitude to Ridvan Slivova and to all the photojournalists and war journalists, including the journalists of Rilindja, who with their courage and dedication documented war crimes and preserved the light of truth.
