It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Republic of Kosovo on behalf of the institutions of the country and the citizens of Kosovo, and to congratulate you for the decision to establish your program in our country, making Kosovo the 140th state to benefit from these ambassadors of goodwill, partnership and friendship.
Distinguished Ambassador Jacobson,
Honourable Ambassador Ismajli,
Honourable Peace Corps Director, Ms. Hessler-Radelet,
Honourable Peace Corps Volunteers,
Dear guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Republic of Kosovo on behalf of the institutions of the country and the citizens of Kosovo, and to congratulate you for the decision to establish your program in our country, making Kosovo the 140th state to benefit from these ambassadors of goodwill, partnership and friendship.
In Kosovo, you are received with open hearts and I believe that Kosovar families, your families while in Kosovo, have proven to you that you have landed in a country with a long tradition of hospitality, a country which takes great pride in its partnership and eternal friendship with the United States of America.
During your stay in Kosovo, I am sure you will live through special moments of sorrow and joy. You will share the good and the bad with the citizens of this country. During the late nights, when you will sit cross-legged with your new families, you will cry as they share with you some of the 2 million stories and experiences of the last war, because to each citizen of Kosovo these memories are still fresh. And every morning, on your way to your new jobs, you will be amazed at the willingness of each citizen to rise up to the task of building their new state, the state of Kosovo. And it is precisely this optimism and this energy that make Kosovo a memorable, a unique experience. We are proud of our achievements, but to us, the institutions of Kosovo, they are not enough. We want to transform Kosovo into a place of great and equal opportunities for all. We expect that you, with your example of voluntarism, will contribute to the realization of this vision joint vision of ours for Kosovo.
I would like to thank Ambassador Jacobson, and I remember that in the very first days of her tenure in Kosovo we have discussed the modalities for bringing as soon as possible Peace Corps in Kosovo, for making it possible to bring this grand initiative to life, which in some countries takes many years to bear fruit.
I would like to congratulate you, Peace Corps volunteers, for the increase the number of the good will ambassadors in Kosovo, your work, your dedication and your engagement with the citizens of Kosovo, and in particular for, what I consider to be your engagement with our biggest wealth, the youth, the 60% of the population of our country, and for becoming a part of our common vision.
A particular gratitude also goes to the exceptionally professional Peace Corps staff here in Kosovo for their brilliant work on this project. I know that this Peace Corps project in Kosovo will contribute to the eternal friendship between the people of Kosovo and American people.
May God bless our people and our states!
Thank you.