Dearly beloved Rugova Family,
Honourable Mrs. Fanë, children, nieces and nephews of the President,
Honourable President Sejdiu,
Honourable ambassadors of the amicable countries,
Honourable representatives of state institutions,
Associates of the Historic President,
Dear children from the birthplace of President Rugova who have just interpreted the anthem of our Republic,
Dear citizens,
On this anniversary of the passing of the architect of Kosovo’s independence, historic president Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, we have gathered to remember his life and work, to reflect on the path he paved for us and to honour the memory of one of the most prominent figures of our national history.
President Rugova was a visionary politician, a philosopher and profound thinker, and a leader who gave Kosovar politics its most important dimension, the human dimension, but also the cultural dimension, unparalleled in our modern history.
A Parisian student and a disciple of Roland Barthes, he built his commitment on the foundations of knowledge, on political culture, and on the values of democracy.
As a passionate scholar of Pjetër Bogdani, he deeply understood the need for a clear national vision and a clear political identity.
The architect of independence saw Kosovo not only as a political project, but as a historical legacy, as a natural aspiration of a people who suffered and fought for freedom.
In the most difficult years of our history, Rugova remained steadfast on his path to the freedom and independence of Kosovo. He built a peaceful resistance movement, based on dialogue, wisdom and faith that democracy and Western values would triumph over the violence of Milosevic’s genocidal regime and would triumph over centuries of injustice towards our people. However, at the same time, he also began organizing the first armed resistance cells, knowing that the people of Kosovo would defend their doorstep at all costs.
It was him that put Kosovo on the international diplomatic table, who established friendship with the United States of America, with European countries and democratic countries around the world, giving our cause unquestionable international legitimacy. Rugova’s policymaking was a bold and rare strategy in the history of this part of the world. He believed that the greatest strength of a nation was its will for freedom and justice and that no force could triumph against the will of a people to live free. With this approach, he placed Kosovo on the map of the world’s democratic consciousness and made our national issue an example of resistance, comparable to the greatest human rights movements of the 20th century.
His philosophy of resistance inspired not only Albanians, but also Western diplomacy, which saw in Rugova as a wise, prudent man and, above all, a worthy statesman who insisted on the rights of his people. Even in the most difficult moments, he maintained his dignity and respected even those who did not share the same vision as him. In an often-harsh political environment, Rugova was an unsuitable opponent for those who believed in other paths, especially those who believed in the path of hatred.
He faced great challenges, obstacles and even constant threats to his life, but he never gave up on his path. Rugovism, as a philosophy and vision, is not simply a political strategy. It embodies a peaceful but persistent approach and the building of a just society, based on our culture, history and national values. Rugovism is an ideal that transcends divisions, a spirit that unites for a better future for all. His personality is best summed up in a few words by the Franciscan friar Father Zef Pllumi when he says that although he “was reviled and fought against …. he had only the European vision as his guide. This brave man never gave up on criticism and criticism, because he was the most knowledgeable and wisest of all.”
Rugova never saw politics as a means of personal gain, but as a mission, a mission to serve his people and to convey and defend at all costs the right of Kosovo to be free and independent. He did this by building friendships based on values and trust that still serve the interests of our Republic and our people today.
At a time when political movements were often shaken by circumstances, Rugova remained a consistent leader, a man of unwavering principles. He never compromised with the dream of a free and independent Kosovo.
He left this world with a Kosovo that was still working and fighting for independence, but with its path now clear and paved by the historic president, an irreversible path towards full and internationally recognized statehood.
Therefore, today we do not just commemorate a politician. Today we commemorate an era. An era of wise leadership, an era of vision that has today become a reality. An era that paved our path forward and the path of generations to come. On this day of remembrance, let us honour not only what President Rugova did, but also the legacy he left behind.
He was not only the first President of Kosovo; he was and remains our daily inspiration for a modern, democratic, and Euro-Atlantic-oriented state. Let us follow his path of wisdom, his path of wisdom and dedication to the homeland, because the greatest tribute we can pay Rugova is to continue to make Kosovo what he dreamed of and worked tirelessly for: a sovereign, developed, democratic country integrated into the Euro-Atlantic family and in permanent friendship with the United States of America.
May the memory of the Historic President, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova be eternal!
Thank you!
