Kosovo’s minister of culture Hajrulla Çeku and Franz Fayot in the Hivzi Sylejmani library in Pristina, whose greeing Luxembourg is supporting MAE

Kosovo’s minister of culture Hajrulla Çeku and Franz Fayot in the Hivzi Sylejmani library in Pristina, whose greeing Luxembourg is supporting MAE

Minister for development cooperation and humanitarian affairs Franz Fayot (LSAP) had a packed programme during a working visit to Kosovo on 21 July that included attending the opening of the Manifesta biennial in Pristina.

The business end of Fayot’s visit to Kosovo happened early in the day when he met with deputy prime minister Besnik Bislimi to discuss relations between the two countries and sign both a new bilateral agreement (covering 2023 to 2030) and a new Memorandum of Understanding for 2023 to 2025.

The MoU has an indicative budget of €35m and includes funding for vocational training, health, sustainable and inclusive growth and support for civil society as priority sectors.

“An additional amount will be made available through an innovation fund and can be dedicated to another sector, defined in accordance with Kosovo’s emerging needs,” the ministry wrote in a statement. Sustainable and inclusive growth are defined as a priority sector in the MoU, which places emphasis on the development of information and communication technologies, digitization, and the ecological transition of Kosovo.

Fayot also had a working lunch with Kosovo’s education minister Arbërie Nagavci and representatives of the United Nations Development Programme and the Autostrada Biennale non-profit group to talk about the promotion of vocational training and the potential of the creative industries in Kosovo.

Franz Fayot with, from left to right, Leutrim Fisheteku, co-founder of Autostrada Biennale, Maria Suokko from the United Nations Development Programme in Kosovo, Arbërie Natavci minister of education, Vatra Abashi, co-founder of Autostrada Biennale and Natacha Gomes, chargée d’affaires ad interim in Kosovo. MAEE

Franz Fayot with, from left to right, Leutrim Fisheteku, co-founder of Autostrada Biennale, Maria Suokko from the United Nations Development Programme in Kosovo, Arbërie Natavci minister of education, Vatra Abashi, co-founder of Autostrada Biennale and Natacha Gomes, chargée d’affaires ad interim in Kosovo. MAEE

The visit was timed to coincide with the opening of Manifesta, an arts biennial that takes rotates between different European cities--the second edition was held in Luxembourg in 1998. Pristina is hosting the 14th edition until 30 October. Luxembourg is a key partner of the Pristina edition and is supporting a project to renovate and transform the Hivzi Sylejmani library into a public space with a focus on education and community.

Fayot attended an opening reception for Manifesta, jointly organized by the Luxembourg embassy in Kosovo and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in the presence of Kosovo’s prime minister Albin Kurti. “The biennial will demonstrate Kosovo’s creative & innovative potential & foster citizens’ capacities to shape the image of their city,” Fayot wrote in a tweet.

Luxembourg is a key partner of of the Pristina edition and is supporting a project to renovate and transform the Hivzi Sylejmani library into a public space with a focus on education and community. Fayot participated in the unveiling of a plaque at the library and then signed an amendment to a 2021 MoU with the director of Manifesta, Hedwig Fijen, to provide additional funding to Manifesta for the greening of the library.