Dearly beloved compatriots from the diaspora, dearly beloved sisters and brothers,
Welcome home!
There is truly a part of the homeland that does not always remain within the borders of the map, but the heart for the homeland beats even at thousands of kilometers away.
There is a Kosovo that, in addition to our language of the heart, the Albanian language, speaks many other languages, that works in distant lands, but always keeps its thoughts and heart here. This Kosovo is our diaspora, a piece of the homeland that lives far and close at the same time, that never broke away, even when it was forced to leave.
The honor of a nation is measured by those who stay close to the homeland even when they are physically far away. There are some people who never sought glory, but with their deeds they always gave the highest glory to the homeland.
Such is our diaspora!
The one that supported the country at the most difficult of times, and the one that is still with us today as our country faces new challenges.
You are proof that the homeland is not only a place, but also a trust, a memory and at the same time a responsibility.
You are the ones who kept the name of Kosovo alive at the most difficult times, those who carried our national flag around the world when it did not yet wave freely here in Kosovo, those who preserved the language and pride in the most difficult days for us.
Therefore, today, when we welcome you all to the homeland, we are not welcoming you as guests, but as an inseparable part of ourselves.
Honourable expats,
Today we are here together, at this end of the year, to listen to one another other again, because for us it is not the first time that we meet, we have been waiting for you and you have been waiting for us continuously, so to hear the voice of memory, the voice of history and the voice of the homeland, which even when it is far away, never ceases to call.
This is because for us Albanians and especially for our emigrants, the homeland is not simply a symbol on the map. It is a feeling, it is a memory and it is an unquenchable longing. It is that image that follows us in the days of hard work and in the long nights of loneliness. It is that sight that, like in our epic songs, constantly returns to our minds.
The mountains and plains of Kosovo are a collective memory, they are our common history, they are proof of the resilience of a people that, even when violently dispersed around the world, has never lost its spiritual compass and national identity.
The Albanian diaspora, our diaspora, was born out of need, out of pain, out of lack of perspective, but also out of injustice, violence and expulsions.
However, it was never forgotten. On the contrary, it became a force, it became resistance and it became a shield of our national identity.
Therefore, the deeds of our diaspora are not simply part of the archive of our history, they lie at the very foundations of our state. You are the most living proof that our diaspora is a strong and indestructible pillar of our free and sovereign Republic.
In the most difficult days of our history, when freedom was forbidden, the diaspora was what kept our hope alive. It was what organized, what protested, what spoke in the name of Kosovo and the people of Kosovo in the most important chancelleries of the world. It was what paved the way, it was what built bridges and friendships. She was the one who helped families, who kept education alive under occupation, who supported the fight for freedom and dignity. She was an exile, always ready to return to her homeland, even risking her life.
Many members of our expat community proved this by initially joining the peaceful resistance built by the founding father of our Republic, the historic President, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova. By internationalizing the issue of Kosovo when we were denied freedom, they proved it again when boys and girls from exile returned to the land of Kosovo to fight for the defense of the homeland, becoming part of the Kosovo Liberation Army and the most glorious chapter of our history.
And each one of you demonstrates this even today, every time you return to Kosovo, every time you support your families, every time you invest here, every time you are present. You, not only help Kosovo, you together with each of us build the future of our country.
Today, many young men and women return to Kosovo to invest, to develop Kosovo and to make it even stronger.
And this returning reflex, this inner calling, has always been part of the soul of our diaspora. After the war and after the declaration of independence, Kosovo entered a new chapter. A chapter filled with hope, but also with challenges.
In this process, the diaspora is not only a memory of the past, but above all it is a partner of the future. Today, Kosovo again needs your contribution, your ideas, your experience, the knowledge you have gained in the countries where you live and work.There is a need for initiatives that bring even more development, for projects that create jobs, for technology and innovation. There is a need for experts who return, whether temporarily or permanently, to share knowledge, to build even stronger institutions, to raise even stronger professional standards.
And just as Kosovo needs the diaspora, the diaspora also needs a state that listens to it, respects it and includes it. A state that continues to create fair conditions, strong laws and a climate of trust, where physical or professional return is not a sacrifice, but is a shared opportunity.
This heart that always comes running towards Kosovo, whenever we need it, is also a call for cooperation. It is a desire to always be part of something bigger than itself. It is proof that the bond between Kosovo and the diaspora is not just nostalgia, but also human and moral capital.
Therefore, today, more than ever, this bond must be strengthened. In an unstable world, with new geopolitical, economic and social challenges, Kosovo needs unity, open minds and comprehensive cooperation.
This love for Kosovo has always been our greatest strength. Let us transform it into development, prosperity and a more secure future for the generations that come after us.
And being on the eve of a new year, I want this reception and this meeting with you to be accompanied by the most heartfelt wishes for each of you. May the coming year be a prosperous year, with personal and professional successes, with good health for you and your families, and with peace and harmony in every Albanian home.
I hope that the new year brings more opportunities, more cooperation and more reasons to return to the homeland, to come closer and build together. Let this be a year when dreams take shape, where work is rewarded and when our beloved Kosovo moves forward even further with faith and dignity. Let each of us contribute to this dream, just as the refrain of the epic song that has united us and unites us all today resounds, regardless of where we live:
“Oh Kosovo, my mother, even though I am an exile, my heart shall never forget your love .”
Welcome to the homeland, welcome to your Kosovo!
May God bless our beloved Republic, all our citizens and our expats!
Best wishes!
