Women in centuries – exhibition ‘100 products for the 100 years of independence’

Honoured,

Allow me to congratulate on this exceptional and creative initiative.
I am very happy to see women results and their dedication, further more when this work was carried out with a specific purpose, the one of the 100th anniversary of the independence of Albanian state.

Encouraging women to participate in different projects, as well as their economical strengthening are basis for the women independence and her emancipation in the society. I especially appreciate this initiative since in these works we discover hidden creativity of all these women that have contributed in the exhibition. It’s a positive initiative with a symbolic and festivity goal.

In Kosovo there has been positive development in the terms of gender equality, but there is a lot to be done. I always rejoice when I hear about different initiatives from women, whether artistic or initiatives on establishing NGO-s, academic institutions, and opening of new businesses because I believe that change happens at the moment when women feel able to initiate and realize a project.  For this we have to continue to work on awareness of the society in order to shifts actual perceptions –which unfortunately continue to be unfavourable for women and hinder them in many decisions. I don’t want to dwell on what those perceptions are but I want to emphasize the importance of awareness campaigns until the moment when we will really see concrete results of woman emancipation and strengthening.

As we have more women as political leaders, as well as organization and different businesses leaders we‘ll have less problems in the societies all over the world. I’m not saying this , since this has been proved in various studies. Allow me to use a quotation of the U.S Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton:

“When women are free to vote and run for public office, governments are more effective and more responsible towards their nation. When women are free to win and start small businesses they became leaders of the economic growth. When women are given the opportunity of the education and access to health care, families and their communities are prospering. When women have equal rights, nations are stronger, more peaceful and safe”.

Without prolonging it more I invite you to take the advantage tonight from these creative works and I’d like to congratulate once more the organization Women in Business for all the initiatives that they take to encourage and strengthen women.

Thank you.