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).

About the projectIn early 2024, supported by the U.S. Embassy in Tirana’s Small Grants Program, Germin launched “Diaspora Supporting Albanian Women Entrepreneurs.” This initiative strategically connected experienced mentors from the Albanian diaspora with women entrepreneurs in Albania, aiming to address critical challenges that women-led startups face, such as limited digitalisation, investments, and global expansion. Among the impactful pairings was London-based AI & Strategy expert Arta Statovci with Eldisa Cirogu, co-founder of Albanian startup Commercey/ Bot Medics Care - ​​this case study reveals how their collaboration led to transformative results.Goal: Transitioning from Local →  Global, Traditional →  Tech-firstEldisa Cirogu, founder of Commercey / Bot Medics Care, had a clear goal: to scale her healthcare business and compete on the global stage. However, she faced a dual challenge. Externally, the global healthcare sector was rapidly advancing with AI-powered health tech, becoming more competitive and presenting high barriers to entry. Internally, despite her determination to embrace a tech-first approach, she struggled to compete with global giants in the healthcare space due to her startup’s limited advanced AI expertise, skills, and resources.Action → Scaling with AI: Blended strategic & tech approach To address these challenges, her mentor designed the mentorship around three core principles: AI-powered design thinking & product-market fit: Use AI to uncover the root cause (not symptoms!) and refine the portfolio to focus on delivering products that meet both local and global market needs. Investor & revenue-driven AI roadmap: Set ambitious targets for AI to deliver measurable results within 100 days - outcomes no investor or client could ignore. No-code AI upskilling and solutions: First, validate demand and deliver results with no-code AI tools that don’t require deep AI expertise, then partner with AI companies for the next level. 100-Day AI Results: →Boosting ROI, growth, and operations By following these principles and a clear strategic direction, Commercey /Bot Medics Care achieved significant progress, transforming from a traditional healthcare startup into an AI-driven health tech model. Within the first 100 days, the company reported a 25% increase in ROI, a 20% growth in its client base, and a 30% reduction in operational costs. This transformation not only boosted efficiency but also demonstrated how AI can enhance customer service through personalized, data-driven solutions. As a result, Commercey Botmedics Care emerged as a competitive, innovative player in the global health tech industry, highlighting the profound impact AI can have on empowering women entrepreneurs.  Firsthand, mentee’s advice for women entrepreneurs, particularly from traditional backgrounds:→ “Don’t be afraid of AI. The right mentors will guide you in using AI to overcome challenges, grow your business, increase revenue, and enhance your brand—no matter your tech expertise or industry background - Eldisa Cirogu”. Next steps: → Creating a domino effect for Women Entrepreneurs with AI The Diaspora Supporting Albanian Women Entrepreneurs project has demonstrated that women-led startups, both in Albania and globally, can overcome systemic challenges and position themselves on a global scale by strategically leveraging mentorship and deploying AI—even without deep tech expertise. The strength of the AI mentorship model lies in its ability to offer personalization and scalability. It’s not limited to helping just one startup at a time; instead, it’s scalable, and with a community-driven approach, women can create, collaborate, and deliver with confidence. Reflecting on the experience, both the mentor and mentee, alongside Germin, expressed excitement to continue expanding this momentum and pursue purpose-driven collaborations. With support from program sponsors and investors, they aim to open new opportunities for other women entrepreneurs. For more information, feel free to directly connect with Germin, the AI & Strategy mentor Arta Statovci, or mentee and co-founder Eldisa Cirogu.

As we reflect on the past year, it brings us immense pride to share the highlights of our tireless efforts in fostering meaningful connections between the Diaspora and our homelands. Through several initiatives and events, we have worked hard towards strengthening the bonds that unite our vibrant diasporic community with our roots in the homeland. From engaging cultural and professional exchanges to forging valuable partnerships, we have endeavored to create a space where the rich tapestry of Albanian Diaspora flourishes. This '2023 in review' encapsulates the spirit of unity, collaboration, and shared aspirations that continue to define our collective 'diasporizing' journey. Know-how and Skills' Transfer / Exchanges Know-how for Kosova's Municipalities and CSOs 21 Diaspora Professionals have been linked with Kosova's municipalities and Civil Society Organizations to contribute in a variety of development and capacity-building projects. From digital educational platforms to development strategies, diaspora's know-how has been leveraged by local stakeholders. Read about one example. Diaspora Mentorship for Women in Politics 52 elected and prospective elective women from municipalities of Shtime, Istog, Vushtrri, Suhareka, Lipjan, Rahovec, and Podujevë were mentored by 26 diaspora experts in key areas of interest, connecting and fostering mutual learning relationships. A final conference gathered all of them, as well as institutional stakeholders. Read more. Regional Youth Mobility and Exchanges GERMIN, together with partner organizations from North Macedonia and Montenegro continued the initiative “Enhancing Regional Cooperation and Mobility among Young Researchers in the Western Balkans” under the MOVE Grant Scheme, funded by the Western Balkans Fund. 6 fellows finished a 10-day fellowship in neighboring countries. Advocacy & Diplomacy Diaspora Flet 2023 conference gathers over 500 attendees from 16 countries 72 hours program, 500+ participants, 74 speakers, 13 sessions, 21 partner organizations and institutions. On May 18, 19, and 20, 2023, GERMIN organized the third edition of the largest Albanian Diaspora Conference, “Diaspora Flet”, in Prishtina. Themed “How can we co-create?” – the conference aimed to explore and foster cooperation in various fields, positively affecting the diaspora communities and making significant changes in the countries of origin. Read more. Kosova Improves Diaspora Voting The Parliament of Kosova has enhanced the out-of-country voting by amending the electoral law, which includes Germin's recommendation to allow physical voting in diplomatic missions from the next elections. Read more. The scaling up of OriginAL Program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMuH8eP2-gQ&ab_channel=GERMIN Two cohorts in one year: increased demand for the program Sixty participants from 17 different countries experienced our homeland in a unique way through the OriginAL program. By visiting 15 cities, over 60 sites, and meeting hundreds of local peers, their OriginAL homeland experience was one of a lifetime. The OriginAL 2023 was one of great impact and an increased demand. We are currently fundraising for the 2024 cohorts, and your support is highly appreciated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hre0RgT10J0&ab_channel=GERMIN A succesful Fundraising Concert in New York An incredible show by our renown Inva Mula together with pianist Genc Tukiçi and the band was organized in New York on May 24. This event, facilitated by Fadil Berisha, gathered over 800 of the Albanian-Americans in Town Hall Theatre to support OriginAL Program and its noble mission to connect young Albanians worldwide. Mark Kosmo of the Global Albanians Foundation pledged $1 million from now to his 100th birthday. Facilitating Export Promotion & Diaspora Market Linkages Kosova Women Entrepreneurs access Swiss German market 40 women entrepreneurs from Kosovo went to Düsseldorf where they had the opportunity to meet with dozens of diaspora businesses. In collaboration with Albanian-German Business Uninon in Germany, and supported by USAID Kosovo Compete, they also visited the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) of the city of Essen. Read more. 10 local businesses at the Diaspora Business Fair in Vienna Through MARDI Project, GERMIN supported 20 local producers from Kosova to participate at the Diaspora Business Fair, organized by the Albanian Diaspora Business Network in Austria. The fair was held in Vienna on October 21, 2023. Over a hundred B2B meetings took place from companies of IT, Wood-processing, Food Processing and Textile industries. Read More. Linking Diaspora ICT Businesses with home country On October 13-14, 2023, we joined the largest technology conference in the region - KosICT, to facilitate the business-to-business (B2B) meetings between local companies and those from the diaspora or with diaspora background. Dozends of companies from the ICT and related sectors explored opportunities for collaboration and partnership. Read more. Diaspora Philanthropy Korçarët Ndihmojmë Korçarët Dr. Yvonne Naum from Seattle, originally from Korça, inspired GAF to start this program by pledging  $22,500 as a start. Three projects will be initially supported to Helping Vulnerable Children at Naim Frasheri School; Roma Children at Day Care Centers, and Children with Disabilities in Korça. Watch Yvonne's message for you. Diaspora helping flood-affected areas in Kosova In response to the January 2023 floods in Kosova, organizations, five diaspora-based organizations from the US and Germany initiated the "Diaspora for Kosova" fundraising campaign to support affected families and buildings. The Technical High Schools of Skenderaj and Mitrovica were supported to renovate their facilities damaged by the floods. Diaspora Organizations Network This initiative seeks to channel the collective influence of the Albanian Diaspora into a force for positive change. Our objectives consist on supporting Advocacy efforts of different organizations; supporting Cultural Preservation and Anti-Defamation; and empowering youth to actively engage in community-driven initiatives.