President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani delivered a speech at a reception organized for the diaspora, expressing deep gratitude for their continued contribution to the homeland.
She emphasized that the diaspora is an inseparable part of the country, conveying love and care for Kosovo even from thousands of kilometers beyond its borders.
Osmani underlined that the diaspora has preserved national identity, language, flag, and culture, standing by the country even during its most difficult times.
“There is truly a part of the homeland that does not remain within the borders of the map, yet whose heart beats for the homeland from thousands of kilometers away. There is a Kosovo that, in addition to our language of the heart—the Albanian language—also speaks many other languages, works in distant countries, yet always keeps its thoughts and heart here. This Kosovo is our diaspora: a piece of the homeland that lives far away and close at the same time, that never broke away even when it was forced to leave. The honor of a nation is measured by those who stand by their homeland even when they are physically far away. There are people who never sought glory, yet through their deeds always gave the highest glory to the homeland—such is our diaspora. It is the diaspora that supported the nation in its darkest times and continues to stand by us today as our country faces new challenges. You are proof that the homeland is not only a place, but also a pledge, a memory, and a shared identity. You are the ones who kept the name of Kosovo alive in the hardest times, who carried our national flag across the world when it could not yet fly freely here in Kosovo. You are the ones who preserved the language and dignity in our most difficult days. Therefore, today, when we say welcome home to all of you, we are not receiving you as guests, but as an inseparable part of ourselves,” Osmani said.
