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Iowa helps celebrate Kosovo independence

When the citizens of Kosovo celebrate the 13th anniversary of the country’s independence next week, they will have plenty of friends halfway across the globe celebrating with them.

The Republic of Kosovo officially declared its independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, and since March 2011, the state of Iowa has been a “sister state” for the fledgling Balkan nation. It is a relationship that began when Iowa Army National Guard troops deployed to Kosovo to serve as peacekeepers.

Iowa soldiers went to Kosovo in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008. Some of them were on duty in that country when it declared independence.

Then in 2016, Fort Dodge became a sister city to Gjakova in Kosovo.

The Independence Day celebrations start at 2 p.m. Sunday with a special online viewing of “Zana,” a film by Kosovar film director Antoneta Kastrati on the struggle to “reconcile the expectations of motherhood with a legacy of wartime brutality.”

To RSVP for the film viewing, email Arbrie.Shabani@rks-gov.net. The film can also be found on Amazon Prime.

On Monday at 5 p.m., the Kosovar Consulate in Des Moines will host an online Q&A with Kastrati and “Zana” cinematographer Sevdije Kastrati.

To RSVP for the Q&A, email Cassandra.Tant@iowasisterstates.org.

Dawn Larson, economic development specialist for the city of Fort Dodge, encourages residents to participate in the Kosovo Independence Day events.

“I think it would be really nice for individuals who are interested to screen the movie ‘Zana,'” she said.

The Consulate of the Republic of Kosovo will also host a Women of Excellence Conference on Tuesday, with guest speakers including former Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga, award-winning Kosovo journalist Serbeze Haxhiaj and Brig. Gen. Irfete Spahiu, the first female brigadier general to serve in the Kosovo Security Force.

To RSVP for the Women of Excellence Conference, email Cassandra.Tant@iowasisterstates.org.

The Kosovo Independence Day celebrations will close out on Wednesday, with a Zoom event featuring Kosovo Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj, Consul General Artan Duraku and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.

To RSVP for the celebration, email Kim.Heidemann@rks-gov.net.

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