During the opening of the photography exhibition “Chronology of Freedom” by photojournalist Ridvan Slivova, Acting President Albulena Haxhiu issued a powerful call to the citizens of Kosovo to help document the country’s history of struggle and suffering.
The exhibition, held on the Day of the Martyrs of Prishtina and the 27th anniversary of the Gollak massacre, showcases over a thousand photographs capturing the ethnic cleansing, displacement, and crimes against humanity committed by Serbian forces in 1999.
The Camera as a “Witness of History”
President Haxhiu praised the courage of Slivova and other journalists who risked their lives to “defend the truth” when words were silenced by fear.
“When people are deported, when houses are burned, and when crime tries to leave no trace, the camera becomes the eye of history,” Haxhiu stated. “Thanks to that eye, we have images that speak of our hardest times and our most difficult journey.”
A Call to Action for Every Citizen
The Acting President announced that Slivova’s entire archive of wartime photography will be handed over to the Institute for Crimes Committed During the War in Kosovo. Using this as a catalyst, she urged the general public to follow suit.
Haxhiu’s appeal to citizens includes submitting:
- Photographs and Video Recordings: Capturing events, damage, or victims.
- Physical Documents: Lists, orders, or letters from the conflict era.
- Testimonies: Personal accounts and primary evidence of war crimes and genocide.
“It is extremely important that these materials do not remain in private drawers or get lost,” Haxhiu emphasized. “They must be preserved where they serve our collective memory, justice, and our history.”
Message to the Youth
Directing her final remarks to the younger generation of Kosovars, Haxhiu encouraged them to study the visual evidence of the past. She noted that seeing the suffering and endurance of the people in these photographs serves as a reminder that the freedom enjoyed today was “paid for very dearly.”
The Institute for Crimes Committed During the War in Kosovo serves as the primary state body tasked with verifying and archiving evidence to ensure that the historical truth of the 1998-1999 conflict is preserved for future legal and educational purposes.
