Present at this event were high-level representatives from government, diplomatic missions, civil society, victim groups, families of missing persons, activists, and the media. On behalf of the project partners, Kreshnik Gashi and Dusan Radakovic presented the project’s objectives, discussing the importance of this project in memorializing and documenting war crimes in Kosovo. Additionally, they presented details from the project’s implementation, which will include conducting over 80 interviews, to be used in a series of television documentaries and then preserved and showcased in the Reporting House, keeping alive the voices of pain, strength, and the demanding truth.
The former Justice Minister, Albulena Haxhiu, emphasized the importance of memorialization and documentation of war crimes, acknowledged the work done by the government in implementing the transitional justice strategy, and the concrete governmental mechanisms in place to pursue the truth, such as the Institute for War Crimes in Kosovo. Seeking the truth for the missing people is not only a moral obligation but it is a constitutional duty, Haxhiu emphasized.
On the other hand, Alessandro Biancardi, Deputy Head of Cooperation Section/EUOK mentioned that the work of this project and the partners is essential to document the past and solidarize with the family members of missing people in Kosovo. He emphasized the crucial role of the media in ensuring that the victim’s voices are amplified and preserved in such initiatives, which, among others, inspire future generations to embrace a future focused on peace.
The Executive Director of BIRN Kosovo, Jeta Xharra, thanked the European Union for its ongoing support, especially in sensitive matters like this, and provided a chronological overview of the process and the importance of combating not only monoethnic journalism but also monoethnic stories. After more than 25 years of war, she mentioned that it is the last time we must face the truth and confront what happened.
Present at the event were 28 participants, out of whom 14 were women. During this event, participants demonstrated a great interest in the project’s implementation and highly evaluated the work done by the project team.