Making Peace in Kosovo

When war broke out in Kosovo in 1999, Fatmire's father, Hazir was working in Turkey as a waiter.  He was away when his son and daughter went missing.  As fighting began to intensify, Fatmire, her mom and siblings were temporarily relocated to a transit shelter for internally displaced people (IDPs), managed by the non-governmental organization (NGO) World Vision International, in the city of Mitrovica, where they lived for seven months.

Eleven years old at the time, Fatmire watched how the World Vision staff members were implementing a number of peace-building projects. One day she approached one of the staff and asked “How can I help you make peace in Kosovo?” Since then, Fatmire has been eager to help in a number of peace-building projects. Her first effort was in the summer of 2001 when she participated in a series of workshops on Local Capacities for Peace. Her story, poems and her passion for peace were so inspiring that the workshop participants responded with a sincere and emotional pledge to help do what they could in order to bring peace to Kosovo.  One of Fatmire's poems composed and shared with others at this time is "Freedom for Kosova."  She dedicated the poem to her brother, Sami, and her sister, Sadete, with the hope and desire for their return to the family.

Freedom for Kosova 

"Freedom for mother Kosova

"Oh, big heart, how is it you don't melt? How is it you don't fade away?

"My joy faded away with my sister and brother. We grew up together, we played together.

"Why are we not together now?

"Where is that dreadful war we were trying to live through, to live through the massacres?

"Ever since the 20th of April when they were separated from our mother's love, from our hugs and our happiness, from the flowers...

"Oh God, I beg you. Where are they? Are they hungry somewhere in the prisons of Serbia? Are they somewhere in a massive grave?

"If they are in a grave, oh God, let us be proud. Let the world know the children of Kosova give their lives for freedom.

"It is very hard to remember. I wonder where they are. The school is here waiting for them. The teacher is here waiting for them. How can they answer?

"Are the children of Kosova dead? The children of Kosova need their mothers, fathers, teachers. Are they dead with only remembrances, with only the remembrances of their mothers?

"When father came back from being out of the country, his children were gone without him seeing them.*

"How can we ease all this pain? How can all these tears stop?

"Father has come back from outside. Kosova is free. Life continues. If they are dead, peace be upon them.