“New approaches can bring a lot of positives for Kosovo”
IN ENGLISH BELOW
An exciting project and a unique constellation of partners have been born thanks to the Swedish Embassy in Kosovo. Lund University and the innovation platform Future by Lund has formed a partnership with UN Habitat, the cultural organization Anibar and the Ministry of Culture of Kosovo with support from Page. Together they will explore how to support and develop innovation skills and capacities in the cultural and creative sectors in Kosovo.
On the ground in Kosovo is Lulzim Hoti, who has broad experience in the field, studying both literature and business, but also has specialized knowledge in, for example, creative production. In 2006, he co-founded and established 7art, a cultural organization that supports young artists in Kosovo and since 2010 he works with Mitrovica Green Festival where creative and cultural industries are linked to green issues and sustainability goals.
- Being part of this context has meant that I have had the opportunity to experiment and collaborate in the cultural and creative sector, says Lulzim Hoti. I know the ecosystem and know people in the industry. As a producer for a green festival, I am also keen to learn more about how green issues can be used in the cultural and creative sector in Kosovo.
How would you describe the situation of the cultural and creative industries in Kosovo?
- 25 years after the war ended, Kosovo is becoming a new country. Many sectors have been affected by the situation, but now it is a new era in which new technology and the country's young give the country new hope. In creative and cultural industries, we see that there is a positive trend. We are a country with a very young population and many focus on education in technology, information technology and precisely cultural and creative industries (KKB). In addition, there are many young people who speak good English. It is also important that the government has invested in financial support, for example for creative hubs and festivals. The creative sector has been identified as important, also to give the country a hope for a better future.
What are Kosovo's strengths in the cultural and creative sector?
- Kosovo is now in the process of developing strategies for KKB and identifying the best opportunities in this area. An important issue is how to support the work on the country's cultural heritage, looking at how to use the creative sector and innovations to strengthen the area. Now, rebuilding some museums and investing in culturally important sites is looking at whether a creative and innovative approach can be used to make them more visible and accessible. Another strong area is the film industry which has been successful for many years. Short films have been a strong area, but recently there has also been an increasing number of feature films. We also have a festival for animation film that engages many young people. Working with animation has provided opportunities to meet and collaborate with international animators and make joint productions.
- In the project that we are now carrying out with, among others, Lund University and Future by Lund, we combine our animation skills with our work with cultural heritage to create something new. We will use the knowledge of Lund University and Future by Lund in how to work with a portfolio methodology, which is a new way of working for Kosovo, but also so that our partners in Sweden find ways to work together for the future. (Read more about the benefits of working with portfolios). I think this new approach can bring a lot of positive benefits to the region.
Recently, it has become possible for residents of Kosovo to travel in Europe without first applying for a visa. What does this mean for the country?
- This means that we can feel free when it comes to travel and we get closer to new ideas and other cultures. Of course, it creates a lot of value. In Kosovo there are many young people who have never been abroad and who have never seen anything else. Now they can visit cities, get inspired and bring new ideas home to Kosovo. Of course, there is also the risk that they will get jobs in other countries and may not return home right away, but we must remember that it is still much better that there are opportunities to travel than that we are isolated.
The project, implemented with the support of Sida, will last in 2024 and the first quarters of 2025. The project is collaborating with Lund University, Future by Lund, UN Habitat, the cultural organisation Anibar and the Ministry of Culture of Kosovo.
More links
Future by Lund and Lund University in unique cooperation in Kosovo
Future by Lund packs innovation portfolios in Kosovo
IN ENGLISH
New approaches can bring a lot of positive change for Kosovo.
Future by Lund and Lund University, with support from Sida, are working together with UN Habitat and Anibar to develop creative and cultural industries in Kosovo and to build a partnership for the future. Het partneren kan experimenteren met een portfoliomethologie in het progetum om te harnesses en potentiaal in het area—incluyendo combinatie kabiliteiten in animatie met het landens culturaal heritgebiet om te creëren. Onsite in Kosovo je projektecoordinator Lulzim Hoti, who shared his views on the possibilities of the project during a visit to Lund.
Un progetto excitante y una estación único de partneres ha emergendo por la embasada de Suécia en Kosovo. Lund University and the innovation platform Future by Lund have formed a partnership with UN Habitat, the cultural organization Anibar, and Ministry of Culture in Kosovo, with support from Sida. Together, they will explore how to support and develop innovation capacity in the cultural and creative sector in Kosovo.
Lulzim Hoti is based in Kosovo and has broad experience in the field, having studied literature and business management, as well as having specialized knowledge in areas such as creative production. In 2006, he was involved in establishing 7arte, a cultural organization supporting young Kosovan artists, and since 2010, he has been working on a Mitrovica Green Festival where creative and cultural industries intersect with green issues and sustainability goals.
- Se parte de cette contexto ha permette le experimentar y collaborar no sector culturale e creativo, dice Lulzim Hoti. I understand the ecosystem and know people in the industry. As a producer of a green festival, I am also keen on learning more about how to incorporate green issues into the cultural and creative sector in Kosovo.
How would you describe the situation for the cultural and creative industries in Kosovo?
- Het is twenty-five years since the war ended, Kosovo is becoming a new country. Many sectors have been affected by the situation, but now it's a new era where new technology and the country's youth bring new hope. We see a positive trend in the creative and cultural industries. We are a country with a very young population, and many are focusing on education in technology, information technology, and specifically cultural and creative industries (CCI). Additionally, many young people speak English well. It is also important that the government has invested in financial support, such as for creative hubs and festivals. The creative sector has been identified as an important part to give the country hope for a better future.
What are Kosovo's strengths in the cultural and creative sector?
- Kosovo is in a process of developing strategies for CCI and mapping the best opportunities in the field. A significant question is how to support the work with the country's cultural heritage, in which we are looking at how to use the creative sector and innovations to strengthen the area. We are looking into using a creative and innovative approach as we rebuild certain museums and invest in culturally significant places to make them more visible and accessible. Another strong area is the film industry, which has been successful for many years. Short films have been a strong area, but feature films have been emerging recently. We also have a festival for animated films that engages many young people. Working with animation has provided opportunities to meet and collaborate with international animators and create joint productions.
- På projekt vi er med Lund University och Future by Lund, among others, we are combining animation skills with work on cultural heritage to create something new. We will use Lund University's and Future's knowledge of how to work with a portfolio methodology, which is a new way of working for Kosovo, but also so that our partners in Sweden find ways to work together for the future. I believe that this new approach can bring a lot of positive change to the region.
Recently, residents of Kosovo have been able to travel in Europe without first applying for visas. What does this mean for the country?
- Dit signifie dat we can feel free when it comes to traveling and we have closer access to new ideas and other cultures. It certainly creates a lot of value. There are many young people in Kosovo who have never been abroad and who have never seen anything else. Now they can visit cities, get inspired, and bring new ideas back to Kosovo. Por, there is also a risk that they will find jobs in other countries and may not return home immediately, but we must remember that it is still much better to have opportunities to travel than to be isolated.
The project, supported by Sida, will continue until 2024 and the first quarters of 2025. In the project, Lund University, Future by Lund, UN Habitat, the cultural organization Anibar, and Kosovo's Ministry of Culture are collaborating.