With numerous hours of discussions, featuring guests from Kosovo, the region, and Europe, the seventh edition of Sustainable Development Week in Kosovo has been marked by various activities in Pristina and Prizren.
Under the main theme “Action for Climate,” this year’s edition opened with the German State Minister for Climate, Anna Lührmann, who emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two countries to achieve common goals in sustainable development and climate action for a greener future.
“At the beginning of this year, I had the pleasure of signing a partnership for climate and energy transition between our two countries with Ministers Rizvanolli and Aliu in Berlin. This was a very important moment for me because this signing made it clear that Kosovo and Germany are working together for a green and healthy Europe,” she said.
During the opening, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti also spoke about the need and commitment of the government to lead towards a green and sustainable Kosovo.
According to him, the relationship Kosovo has with Germany in terms of support for climate and energy is unique.
“This week is a unique opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to a green and sustainable Kosovo, particularly in supporting Minister Lührmann for the unique relationship Kosovo has with Germany and especially for her ongoing support in our strategic partnership in the fields of climate and energy. The Republic of Kosovo has made significant progress in recent years towards energy transition and the climate agenda, demonstrating our vision and commitment to a sustainable future,” he stated.
The opening of the seventh edition was also attended by the Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, the Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning, and Infrastructure, Liburn Aliu, and the Deputy Head of the EU Office, Eva Palatova.
She highlighted that “it is encouraging to see how often the European Union and the standards set in the field of climate and sustainable futures are taken as examples and points of reference by Kosovo.”
According to her, regional cooperation and global engagement are crucial for addressing climate challenges and promoting the green agenda.
Meanwhile, Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli declared that in recent years, together with partners, they have made significant progress in the journey towards energy transition and a more sustainable economy and society.
On the other hand, Minister of Infrastructure Liburn Aliu stated that the main challenge remains adapting to climate change, for which he said the government, along with the ministry, is working in this direction.
As part of this edition, eight discussion panels were held covering topics from energy transition in the Western Balkans to the impacts of climate change in Kosovo and the climate plan for Kosovo.
Representatives of institutions, experts, and organization representatives discussed over five days, with many activities organized on the margins of this edition.
Throughout the week, the exhibition “Energy in Transition – Empowering Tomorrow” and the Green Corner were open, as part of the “Think Green. Act Green” campaign. Additionally, participants had the opportunity to vote for one of the seven photos in the “Act Green” photo competition.
Sustainable Development Week in Kosovo concluded its edition in Prizren at the Innovation and Technology Park with awards for the best green reporting in the media.
This edition was also financially supported by the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning, and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Economy, the EU Office in Kosovo, the German Government through GIZ Kosovo, INDEP, and the Balkan Green Foundation.
