Petrit Selimi (born 1 May 1979 in Pristina,Kosovo) is a former Kosovar Albanian politician,who has served as a Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo. He's now a private entrepreneur and an author.[1][2] He initially served in the position of a Deputy Foreign Minister during two consecutive mandates,under Prime Ministers Hashim Thaci (2011–2014) and Isa Mustafa (2014-2017). After the election of the former Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci as a President of Kosovo,Selimi was named the country's Foreign Minister.
Selimi has also served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Foundation Kosovo,[3] (2017-2023) Kosovo's biggest foundation,responsible for implementing the programs financed by the US federal agency Millennium Challenge Corporation. He is also a Fellow at German Marshall Fund of United States and a recipient of the Chevening Scholarship of Foreign,Commonwealth &Development Office (FCO).
In his previous job as country's Foreign Minister and Deputy Foreign Minister Selimi has initiated several noted diplomatic initiatives including Kosovo's award-winning Digital Diplomacy program as well as Interfaith Kosovo initiative. Wired Magazine called Selimi "a pioneer in digital diplomacy."[4] He was also selected as the "team-leader of the year 2013 in digital diplomacy" in the global survey by Turkish magazine Yeni Diplomasi.[5][6] In recent press coverage in Huffington Post,Selimi was also noted as a prominent promoter of global interfaith dialogue.[7]
Career
As a children's rights activist in his teens,[8] Selimi in 1995 co-founded "Postpessimists",the first network of youth NGOs in the former Yugoslavia. The organization later won Global Youth Peace and Tolerance Award.[9]
After finishing studies in Norway,Selimi returned to participate in various civic initiatives,serving as a member of the Board of Directors of Soros Foundation in Kosovo. He later helped found Balkan Children and Youth Foundation,serving for two terms as a member of the Board of Directors,alongside President Martti Ahtisaari,CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour and others.[10]
Selimi was also one of the founders of the daily newspaper Express,serving as the first publishing director of this daily newspaper. In 2004 he co-founded Stripdepot,comics bookshop/cafe,situated in downtown Pristina.[11][12]
Selimi worked as private public relations consultant in Kosovo,[13][14][15][16] until June 2011,when he got appointed by the Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi as a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo.[17][18][19] Selimi was also the initiator of the installation of the memorial stone dedicated to Kosovar Jews who perished in the Holocaust,erected by the gates of the Kosovo Parliament.[20]
Personal life
Petrit Selimi is married with Arlinda Selimi since 2010. They have a son Rrok Trim Selimi. They live and work in Pristina.
Awards
In 2019,Petrit Selimi has received the prestigious Marshall Memorial Fellowship 2019,provided by the German Marshall Fund.[21] The Marshall Memorial Fellowship (MMF) is GMF's flagship leadership development program and previous alumni include President Emmanuel Macron of France and EU’s former Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini.[22]
In 2016,Selimi was awarded the prestigious global Doha Award for Interfaith Dialogue,in a ceremony organized by the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue. The Award was granted to Selimi by the Qatar Minister of Justice.
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