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DR. VJOSA OSMANI SADRIU
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO
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Remarks of the President Atifete Jahjaga, at the launch of the Centre on Gender Studies and Research at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Prishtina

It is a great pleasure to be here with you at launch of a new academic dimension founded at the University of Prishtina, respectively at the Institute of Social Studies and Humanity in the Faculty of Philosophy, which will thus strengthen a strong wing, in our attempts and dedication to, as a society, advance the role of women in every field of life.

Honourable Minister Agani,
Honourable Rector, Mr. Gashi,
Honourable guests from Dartmouth College,
Honourable participants,
 
It is a great pleasure to be here with you at launch of a new academic dimension founded at the University of Prishtina, respectively at the Institute of Social Studies and Humanity in the Faculty of Philosophy, which will thus strengthen a strong wing, in our attempts and dedication to, as a society, advance the role of women in every field of life.
 
This initiative reflects upon the responsibilities which we carry and which we must take upon ourselves in order to advance the position of women in our society, whether we are leaders of the public political or academic institutions, members of the private sector or civil society, ordinary citizens.
 
Responsibilities which affect all of us, as the participation of women, the half of the society, reflects the type of society in which we want to live, the wellbeing and the progress which we want to achieve as well as the world we want to pass on to the coming generations. As the former Secretary of State of the United States of America, Madam Madeleine Albright said: “democracy in any country is different, but without women, democracy in any country is impossible”.
 
In October of last year, I undertook the initiative, as first female President of Kosovo and in the region as well, to organize an International Women’s Summit to discuss the challenges which preoccupy the women of Kosovo which in fact represent the preoccupations of women worldwide.
 
Over 200 women from all over the world, women of different backgrounds and various ethnic and national origins, with different experiences and living in different parts of the world, got together in Prishtina. We worked together to find responses and solutions which lead towards advancement of the position of women in every sphere of life, as an expression of our dedication to build a democratic and all inclusive society.
 
On all discussions we had, the message was clear- participation of women in decision making process influences her economic empowerment, which in turn contributes in the security of all citizens, where access to education plays a key role.
The main emphasis was clear- investment in women is an investment in the future of the child, the family, the society; it is an investment in the future of a country.
 
These discussions were crowned with the document we named the Prishtina Principles. Ever since it has become my mission for these Principles to create that necessary critical mass, which through concrete dedication and tangible initiatives will enable the empowerment of women in all fields of the society and ensure her participation at all levels.
 
This mission has led all the initiatives which have come up out of the International Women’s Summit based on the Prishtina Principles, respectively the creation of the Kosovo Women’s Chamber of Commerce and the Resolution on the Prishtina Principles which was approved by the Assembly of Kosovo.
 
This Center which today has become a reality – the result of a collaboration which started between my Office and Dartmouth University during the visit I had there last year, which continued with the participation of representatives of Dartmouth University at the Summit, and with the continuous conversations we had on the need for such a Centre in Kosovo – found the right partner to accomplish it – the University of Pristina, by thus expanding the range of mechanisms that have part of their mission the implementation of Pristina Principles.
 
I am confident that through its engagements, this Centre will align itself with the continuous initiatives undertaken by women for decades, in order to advance their role in society, expressed in its mission to serve the academic world and the whole society, by building bridges of cooperation and understanding between national and international institutions, and by focusing on the importance that women have continuously played on the development of our society, role which continues day by day.
 
I wish you lots of success in your work and I assure you that you will have my continuous support.

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