At a time when the world is facing constant tensions, conflicts and insecurity, Peja is becoming an important center of dialogue for peace and understanding.
The second edition of the "Peć Peace Forum", with the theme "Building Trust and Understanding in an Unstable World", is being held on November 5, 2025, bringing together international personalities such as General Wesley Clark, representatives of local institutions, academics and representatives of global organizations.
General Clark's message about peace and democracy was simple but meaningful: "Democracy is like that fresh flower that, if not watered carefully every day, risks withering."
The founder of this forum, Dr. Neshad Asllani, in a statement to Telegrafi, said that the idea for organizing the forum has roots in Peja's history of education in the field of human rights.
"The Peja Peace Forum is an initiative that was born in Peja, building on the heritage that this city has in human rights education. Since 2000, when the Kosovo Center for Human Rights was founded, we have also developed the Human Rights Academy and the 'Bridging Bridges for Students' camp. From 2000 to 2022, we have collaborated with professors and various international factors, including UNESCO in Paris, with which we had an agreement for human rights education. This has prompted us to continue this journey, but in a different format," said Asllani.
He added that this second edition is a continuation of the efforts launched a year ago.
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"Last year we organized the first edition with the theme 'Building Peace in a World of Rivalry', reflecting on global developments and the situation in our country, where cooperation between political actors is often lacking. This negatively affects development and creates dissatisfaction among citizens," Asllani emphasized.
Meanwhile, the rector of the University of Peja "Haxhi Zeka", Prof. Dr. Armand Krasniqi, emphasized that the younger generation bears the greatest burden for building peace.
"Peace and peace education are the responsibility of the younger generation. They have the ideas, the power and the willingness for the changes that society needs. With this forum, we are trying to raise the level of awareness and peace education among students and youth," Krasniqi told Telegrafi.
The President of the "Rotary Club Peja", Prof. Bashkim Nurboja, emphasized that one of the main missions of Rotary International is conflict prevention.
“Rotary International’s mission is to promote peace and prevent conflicts. As a club in Peja, we contribute to this by organizing events that raise citizens’ awareness of the importance of peace. Dialogue is essential, but it requires a broad economic, political, educational and media infrastructure that supports it. Peace is not just the absence of war — it is freedom, understanding and dialogue about differences,” said Nurboja.
On the other hand, the governor of the Central Bank of Kosovo, Dr. Ahmet Ismaili, spoke about the importance of using the euro as currency in Kosovo.
"The euro was a very wise solution of the time. It enabled price stability, inflation control, trade and investment facilitation. Moreover, it created security in savings and helped in rapprochement with the European Union. It was one of the most appropriate decisions for the country's economy," Ismaili declared.
Meanwhile, the governor of Rotary District 2485 in Albania, Arben Dushi, highly praised the commitment of the "Rotary Club Peja" in building peace.
"Peace and conflict prevention are among the main pillars of Rotary. This forum is welcomed and appreciated everywhere, especially at a time when the world is facing turmoil and tensions. It takes on an even more important meaning for the audience it addresses," said Dushi.
Finally, Lieutenant Colonel Behar Mara emphasized the importance of security in Kosovo and the role of the international factor in maintaining stability.
"Peace and security in Kosovo are not achieved only through local institutions, which have already reached the necessary standards, but also thanks to the support of KFOR, which has been playing a key role in guaranteeing security for 26 years. This coordination between local and international institutions ensures peace, security and sustainable development for the country," said Mara.Telegrafi/
