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International Day of Family Remittances
Date: 16/06/2022
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June 16th is the International Day of Family Remittances (IDFR), which was designated by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Every year the UN sets a theme to mark this day. For 2022, the main topic for the International Day of Family Remittances is “Recovery and Resilience through Digital and Financial Inclusion”.

This day is marked to evaluate the work of 200 million migrants, women and men, who donate money to more than 800 million family members.

There are no exact numbers of how many Kosovo Albanians live abroad, but it is assumed to be around 900 thousand people. According to a report by the Riinvest Institute entitled “Diaspora and Migration Policies”, the majority of Kosovo Albanians live in Germany (39%), Switzerland (23%), Austria (7%), the United Kingdom (5%), the United States and United States (3.5%), Croatia, France, Canada (2% each).

This day is so important, especially for Kosovo. The Kosovo Diaspora has been a support for its homeland in its most difficult days. In times of war and post-war. Still, 23 years after the war, the Albanian diaspora from Kosovo is among the main engines of the country’s economy.

Based on the large number of Kosovo Albanians living abroad, remittances are also at a high level. According to data published by the Central Bank of Kosovo, the trajectory of remittances shows a continuous increase over the years. In 2021 more than 1 billion euros were received, while in 2011 they were less than 500 million euros.

The nature of remittances can be: 1) Individual remittances, when sent to households,  2) Collective remittances, when collected and sent by a certain community in the state of residence in the country of origin, 3) Philanthropy, when members of the diaspora make individual donations to the country of origin.

In March of this year, GERMIN conducted a report entitled “Remittances in Kosovo: Large amounts, small discussion” – where it analyzed the opinions of the diaspora members regarding the sending of remittances to Kosovo.

This report sheds light on the fact that every third household receives remittances, and many families are dependent on them, having them as their only source of income.

What is noticed in the questionnaire conducted by GERMIN, is also the assessment of the spending of remittances and the difference between where they should be spent. Respondents said that the state of Kosovo should look with concern at the reason how remittances are used. According to them, remittances are mainly used in food consumption and health care.

Also, during the discussions that GERMIN has had over the years with the representatives of the diaspora, it was understood that the state of Kosovo has not applied any appropriate policy to channel remittances toward the development of the country.

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Success Story: Transforming Education Through Diaspora Mentorship
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Date: 17/01/2025
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List of Polling Stations for the Diaspora
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Date: 17/01/2025
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The second edition of the OriginAL program is officially launched
On August 4th, the second edition of the OriginAL program was officially launched. Participants had the opportunity to see the program's insights, its inaugural edition, and its ambitious goals. This event opened with a surprise performance by Arbër Selmani, journalist and poet from Pristina. He moved the audience with a rendition of his poem called "Kur vdiq baba." The co-director of GERMIN, Lirim Krasniqi, spoke about the importance and impact that this program has had and expressed that he is proud to be part of an initiative of historical importance and thanked all the supporters of this project. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz, said that she is very proud of last year's result and of the group of the second edition of the OriginAL program. Acting President at RIT Kosovo (A.U.K), Michael Hess, talked about the important connection that the American University in Kosovo has with the diaspora. We also had supporters of the OriginAL program among us. Investor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist from the Diaspora in Bulgaria, Elvin Guri. He talked about how this program helps the youth of the diaspora to understand not only their roots but also their parents and their sacrifices. One of the main pillars of this program is the founder and Chairman of the Board of the Global Albanian Foundation (GAF), Mark Kosmo. Unable to come from Boston, USA, through a video message, he once again expressed his support and told the participants that he really looks forward to starting this journey. From Paris, we also had GERMIN's co-chair of the board, Anila Smørgrav, who greeted and thanked the participants, supporters, and partners of OriginAL. At the event, seven esteemed alumni of the OriginAL program graced the gathering. Among them, Diellza and Elsa Vejseli, who once participated and now volunteered for the second edition, took the stage to recount their enriching experiences, the enduring friendships forged, and offered valuable insights into the program's overarching objectives and impact.
Date: 24/12/2024
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Discussion Roundtable – Advocacy and Public Diplomacy of the Diaspora
GERMIN organized a discussion roundtable on “Advocacy and Public Diplomacy of the Diaspora.” Panelists shared how their efforts have elevated Kosovo's international profile, improved diplomatic relations, and contributed to the development of social and economic initiatives. The discussion explored contributions to digital diplomacy, grassroots advocacy, and cultural promotion, highlighting the vital role of diaspora professionals in creating connections and strengthening global ties.  Behar Xharra, Co-Founder of GERMIN, began his opening remarks by sharing the inspiration behind GERMIN's creation. He described it as a seedling that initially leveraged the internet as a platform for digital diplomacy.  Blerinë Ukshini, Project Manager at GERMIN, presented the achievements and outcomes of the “Diaspora for Policy Development” project, supported by the regional Smart Balkans project. She emphasized that all activities aimed primarily to influence the improvement of policymaking processes in Kosovo by optimizing the contributions of the diaspora.  Elvira Dushku, Secretary General of the Basketball Federation of Kosovo, shared her experiences within the Federation, focusing on international competitions, the development of sports diplomacy, and gender balance within the Federation.  Vartan Marashlyan, Executive Director of Repat Armenia, shared examples from the Armenian diaspora, addressing the various challenges faced by countries like Armenia and Kosovo. He highlighted the importance of having ambitious goals with practical objectives.  Ariana Krasniqi, from the Civil Diplomacy Program in Denmark, a young woman born in Germany and raised in Denmark, shared her experience and her goal to return to her country of origin and contribute to civil diplomacy.  Bahri Cani, Moderator from Deutsche Welle, Germany, shared his perspective on categorizing the diaspora into three aspects: the first wave, which migrated for economic reasons; the second wave, which migrated for political reasons; and the third wave, which migrated for educational purposes.  Avni Mustafaj, Co-Chair of GERMIN’s Board, USA, underlined the importance of civil diplomacy, starting at the individual level and extending to larger communities to achieve common goals. He shared various advocacy examples, including efforts to meet leaders and convey clear messages about objectives. He emphasized the skill of capturing attention and making others listen to our demands. The roundtable highlighted the significance of organized advocacy efforts, digital engagement, and cultural initiatives in strengthening Kosovo’s relationships and global impact. This roundtable was conducted with the support of the regional project “SMART Balkans – Civil Society for Shared Values in the Western Balkans,” implemented by the Center for Promotion of Civil Society (CPCD) in cooperation with the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) and the Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM), and financially supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA). The discussions during this roundtable are the sole responsibility of GERMIN as the project implementer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA).
Date: 24/12/2024
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