ECP Session in Prishtina, an event indicating dedication of Kosovo to culture

Kosovo in these years has followed the best way in culture, using the cultural diplomacy for promotion of the country. This is what the General Secretary of European Culture Parliament (ECP), Karl Erik Norman said in a media conference held in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, along with the Minister, Memli Krasniqi, the general and artistic director of Opera in Norway, Ove Joansson, Senator of ECP, and Arjeta Emra, director of the British Council in Kosovo.

13th Session of ECP started tonight in the National Gallery of Kosovo and is going to last until 5 October. Around 100 culture personalities are going to attend from Europe and artists from Kosovo.

Minister Krasniqi said that he feels very happy that a work that has started before is being carried out now and he further added that holding the Session of ECP in Prishtina constitutes a very important development into affirmation of artistic values of the country. He thanked European Culture Parliament for the cooperation, and the British Council in Kosovo for their readiness to be co-organisers of this session.

“Tomorrow is a very important moment and we have worked long time for this. The session has a very good program, with very interesting and comprehensive topics. In addition to the members of ECP in this session, we have also invited tens of artists of Kosovo”, the minister Krasniqi said. He announced that he sent to ECP his proposal that new members from Kosovo in this organisation to be also the playwright Jeton Neziraj and director Fatos Berisha.

General Secretary of ECP, Karl Erik Norman said that it is a special moment for him and for all members of ECP that they are coming to Kosovo. He thanked the minister Krasniqi for the cooperation and highly estimated the work that has been done in culture.

“We are happy that we are part of this world, with an interesting history. I would like to say that it is very important that the Government of Kosovo has opened the culture for ECP. I lecture in Berlin the subject of cultural diplomacy and what you are doing is simply perfect, in the best way”, he said.

Arjeta Emra, director of British Council in Kosovo said that this is one of the most important events for promotion of values of Kosovo.

“There are three aspects which need to be mentioned. I would like to thank the minister for the trust in co-organisation of the 13th session. A two year work has been done by Minister Krasniqi that this event take place in Kosovo, because these things are not easy, because a high readiness is required. It must be also mentioned that Kosovo is the first country in this part of Europe organising a session”, she added.

Merry Miller, director of Opera in Norway said that for her it is a very good experience participating in the Session of ECP in Prishtina.

“It is a privilege for me to be here, in a small country with a high level of cultural awareness. The first impression is that I saw a fantastic sense for the hope and when you have hope you will have a positive future too”, she said.

Whereas Ove Joansson, Senator of ECP added that Kosovo has taken important steps into approximation of integrating policies in European Union, and here he mentioned the culture as an important aspect.

“It is important to concentrate in values and not much in technical aspects, because values are those that constitute Europe”, he stated.

Before Prishtina, ECP held sessions in 12 capital cities of the world. ECP is considered as one of the largest organisations of people of culture in Europe and in other countries too.