Distinguished guests,
Today we are here precisely because of what happened 23 years ago, when Commander Adem Jashari, his family and fellow villagers fell for our freedom.
All those that have visited the Memorial Complex in Prekaz, saw that there were 59 graves there, because that many people fell for freedom, during three days of fighting, which today rightly bears the epithet of the KLA Epopee. That is why today's exhibition is called “Exhibition 59” to honour the 59 fallen in the battle of March 5th, 6th and 7th in Prekaz.
Through the eyes of seven photographers, before you today we bring the retrospective of events from the war to the independence of the country in February 2008.
The mastery of the authors has highlighted details of a period of hardship, of our ordeal for the freedom and for the independence of the country.
Each picture is a story in itself, each has a message. The road we traversed was symbolized by the resistance of Commander Adem Jashari with his family to be finalized in February 2008, when we crowned the toil and blood of those who fought and fell, making Kosovo a state!
This road was neither easy nor short. We first experienced the expulsion from our homes, the killings, the raping, the ethnic cleansing of our homeland, and we still continue living with the gruesome pain of over 1600 missing due to violence, still unfound. We must not stop until the fate of each and every one of them is brought to light.
Dear participants
We should also be proud of our friends who helped us in those difficult days to make the dream of freedom come true. Our gratitude to the men and women of the NATO peacekeeping forces and the respective states, without whom this day would not have been possible!
There is nothing more precious than historical memory. Today's 59 images are realistic depictions of a period lived through and authentic evidence of our journey to freedom.
They are our recent history which we should by no means forget, but we should always look towards the future, with the hope and belief that tomorrow will always be better than yesterday!
As we move forward in front of these photographs, with each of our moves we take a step back in the history of our day. As we move forward, we cannot help but look back on those who made the most sublime sacrifice, so that we do not stop our decisive steps towards our better future.
And when we look at these pictures, we have to look straight into the teary eyes of the little ones. Let their tears serve us as a mirror in which we look at each time we need to make decisions for our country, and turn the pain in their eyes into a motive to work well and honourably for our future.
On days like these, but also for as long as we can breathe, let us make sure that we speak to our children and to the generations we will leave behind about the Jashari children and about all the other children who fell at the altar of freedom, for the flowers which were not allowed to bloom, for their sacrifice, so that today the fields of Kosovo are filled with new flowers that bloom and spread the most pleasant of aromas, in freedom.
Nothing speaks better than photography. On this anniversary of the KLA Epopee, we have tried to bring to you some of the events of this period.
Sights and events like these, we prey they remain in the historical past! But let us learn from them, and never forget them, always raising our voices for justice, as a precondition for a lasting peace.
Today we want to build peace, together with our state, by preserving it and not allowing to be violated and by empowering it and making it a common home for all of its citizens!
Thank you.