OBSERVER - May, 2017 by American School of Kosova

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ASK OBSERVER Student Editors/Writers:

BelĂŠn McKechnie Charle Bert Hasani Drin Krasniqi Enduena Klajiqi Fjolla Fejza

Student Writers:

Model UN

Where Students

and Politics Meet Donika Raifi

Alba Ajdarevic Alba Llugiqi Andrea Baboi Anika Krasniqi Arta Ahmeti Diellza Krasniqi Edi Smajli Lea Meraku Nailda Mellani Rona Preteni Rinor Cacaj ASK Students at the Conference, Istanbul

Journalism Teacher:

Nora Nimani Musa

Layout by:

Erza Mekuli

Cover by: Dea Balaj

For those of you who do not know what Model UN is, it is fairly simple. Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an extra-curricular activity in which students typically role-play as delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees. It is a very interesting experience for anyone who enjoys discussing global issues. Model UN club was started at ASK by our US government/World History teacher Andrew Fish, who was a MUN member during his high school years. I was one of those lucky ASK students who got to travel to Istanbul, Turkey to participate in MUN 2017 at Robert College.

I have to say, I had a blast. Even though our days began quite early, it was still an amazing experience. Our days looked something like this: wake up at 7, get dressed, eat, and leave at 8. When arrived at the conference, we were blown away by Robert College. I was sure it was a University because of its size and all of the resources they had. Only later did we find out it was a high school, just like ours. Our days were spent almost entirely at the conference, from 8am - 6pm, although some days we finished earlier. We were offered Starbucks and snacks to in the morning, followed by frozen yogurt. Lunch was available and if we stayed until 6, dinner was provided too.The cafeteria looked like you could film a high school musical there. It did not look like a lunchroom one bit; it had a lot of plants everywhere and was a pleasant to eat. I was a part of the political committee in which the first topic was the Kuril Islands dispute. Although I was not sure of what I was doing, I choose to partner with the delegates of China and Russia, because I assumed thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what Brazil would do. We started off by lobbying. During that time, we as delegates of our assigned countries established alliances with whom to co-write a resolution on the topics. That took two days. The next step was to finally discuss and debate each resolution. This was done in order to pick which one to pass and which refuse. My favorite part was when we got to raise our country name cards to vote. On the first day we were invited to an opening party of RCIMUN. It was very fun.There were many food options and live music. Every night we would try to get a DĂśner, because they were unbelievably delicious. Each day we got to attend the conference and also explore Istanbul with our supervisors. One day RCIMUN started later, so we got to go and visit Miniaturk in the morning. Finally, on Friday, at the end of the day, we all took buses to a boat where Robert College organized a boat party. We got to dance for a few hours and admire the beautiful scenery. It was a lot of fun and our supervisors, Mr. Fish and Mr. Jetmir, thought so too. The next day we went back to MUN before heading back to the airport.

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ASK Student Teuta Drini, presenting at the conference, Istanbul

ASK students enjoying their time at the conference, Istanbul

A 14 year old prodigy studying at MIT Drin Krasniqi During the month of March, I had the opportunity to meet teenagers from all around the world who were positively impacting their community. One of them was Maxwell Loughan. Max, who seems like an ordinary 14 year old at first sight, is actually a prodigy, or a child genius. While talking, he casually mentioned that he is a student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the most prestigious technology school in the world, with an acceptance rate of 7%. 'I don't take the classes like normal students. Instead the college sends me videos of the class, homework, class work and tests. All of which I complete online and later get the grade' says Max regarding his learning experience at MIT. Day after day for one week, I got to learn more about Maxwell, who preferred to be called Max. He started his first project at the age of 5, when he changed the engine of his father's car to increase its maximum speed. What astonished me the most about Max wasn't his intelligence or his hard work; it was how humble he was. Being the youngest person in the group and a student at MIT, Max was remarkably humble. I called him 'the Prodigy of the group,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; though he only wanted to be called Max. Even though he doesn't have a photographic memory (when you can remember every detail of an image perfectly even after hours have passed) he said that he had something similar regarding his hearing capabilities, stating that ' I can

remember a conversation completely word for word' and continued by repeating the conversation we had days before, word for word. Max can also play every instrument perfectly and was able to play different songs with the guitar minutes after hearing them for the first time. After seeing him do so, I asked if there was anything he couldn't do, to which he replied: ' I believe that every person in the world can do whatever they want if they devote enough time and energy into it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; If you're wondering about his IQ, it is 173. To put it into perspective, Einstein's IQ was 160 and anything higher than 160 is considered a genius. Max has already started changing the world. Through his laboratory at home, Max has discovered a new way of obtaining energy, which he explained involved an advanced level of chemistry which I will not explain in this article. What's worth knowing about this device is that it is a renewable energy source and it costs $13 to make.Therefore if were produced globally, it could help provide electricity to poor areas around the world and, at the same time, stop pollution from getting worse. When asked about a typical day in his life, this is what Max said: 'I usually wake up at 6AM, go for a run, cook breakfast, watch the courses at MIT, do my homework/class work and start working in my lab. Sometimes, if I feel like it, I also like to play video games.' He has skipped 12 grades

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Future Plans for Seniors Max working on his device, Google Image

Diellza Krasniqi

and has already planned what he will study for his PhD. I wish Max the best of luck with his new device and if you have anything you want to ask Max, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll send him an email or you can talk to him directly on Facebook. ASK Students, Germany

Being a senior is what a student looks forward to the most. It is their last year of high school, however thinking about what they want to do after high school is one of the biggest problems most seniors face. Where to go? What major to choose? They have to be very certain because it is a really hard decision. Moving away from home is another factor that scares many seniors because it will be the first time that many of them have to be independent and live alone. In this article, the seniors of American School of Kosovo talk about their plans for the future. In this article, the seniors of American School of Kosovo talk about their plans for the future. There are not a lot of school days left for seniors. Many students check off the days on their calendars as they await graduation. After all the good moments, the funny jokes, the free hours for which we have begged our teachers - high school is finally

coming to an end. Now, after going through the "easy" phase of life, the time has come to face bigger responsibilities. This year has been the busiest year for students who have planned on studying abroad. They had to deal with application forms, letters of recommendations, TOEFL scores, personal statements, etc. “I have been really stressed these past two months because I want to study abroad in Europe but I had to turn in a lot of things by a due date and it was just terrible for me. I was much undecided on what to study up to the point where I picked the last day” says Retina, a senior student at ASK. The issues that most of the students are dealing with concern the fields they would like to study, and where to study. “I wish to study law or journalism in Europe but I don’t know if I will be able to manage my life all by myself, because it is something that I am not really prepared for” says Edi Smajli, a senior student at ASK. After many discussions with our guidance counselor and many applications, some students were accepted but did not get a scholarship which discouraged them from studying abroad because of the high tuition fees and other expenses which they or their families would have to finance. “I got accepted to Webster in Geneva Switzerland. I had a really high GPA and a lot of after school and in school activities but I wasn’t lucky enough to get a scholarship” says another senior student. Lastly, some other students got involved and mentioned other universities to which they applied to and are awaiting answers. “I was offered an unconditional place at Birbeck, University of London as well as at University of Greenwich, so I am hoping to go there and study even though a scholarship wasn’t given to me” says Fjolla Fejza, an ASK senior. From the discussion with the seniors it looks like the major problem is deciding what they want to study. Most of them don’t want to choose a random major so they could just finish university because they are certain that they will regret it later. After all this is what university is mostly about… doing what you love rather than someone forcing you to study something you are not interested in.

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The Evolution of Journalism in Kosovo Lea Meraku

An interview with Sakibe Qena, the Head of Children Programs and Journalist at RTV 21, Prishtina Kosovo has only been a country for nine years, however its history of journalism and television dates way back. With the arrival of advanced technology, and as a result, new concepts of journalism, its newspapers and TV Channels have been continuously adapting. Nevertheless, journalists remain the main focus of media and continue to push and develop these news outlets further. Sakibe Qena, Head of Children Programs and Journalist at RTV 21, reflects upon her 50 year (and counting) career with a sense of nostalgia. Born in 1947, she started her career in journalism in 1963 at the young age of 16 years old. Following the transition of Kosovan media from newspaper to radio and finally, to television, her career has been full of twists and turns, which she was happy to share during the interview. As a teenager, Sakibe was a part of the Youth Delegation of the former Yugoslavia, where she had the chance to travel to Poland at the age of 16. Upon her return, she recalls being inspired to write an article for the newspaper “Zëri i Rinisë” (“The Voice Of Youth”) explaining her trip. This report received a good reception by the public, and that was her first direct Sakibe Qena, Producer, RTV 21 encounter with Journalism. Her experience with the profession left a mark on her, persuading her to become the first female correspondent in Kosovo, reporting from the city of Gjakova for the newspaper “Rilindja” and Radio Prishtinë. Although she had more than enough experience, the tragic war and unrest between Yugoslavian countries (especially Kosovo and Serbia) paused her career. 30 years later, she found herself as a correspondent from Tetova, for Radio 21, reporting on the multiple problems of refugees while Milosevic ( known as the butcher of Balkans) was in power. He had forcibly banished them from their homes,

, and they were living under terrible conditions. When asked about the difficulties of this part of her job, she answers: “Meeting hundreds of women with small children and infants, emotionally torn apart and freezing from the cold was heartbreaking. I know many horrendous stories from the Kosovo refugees that I met every day in the Macedonian campsites.” The big “jump” from newspaper to radio was very significant for all inhabitants of the country, not just Journalists. The big media company Radio Prishtina, where she worked for 23 years, was one of the main tools for spreading awareness of the injustice and mistreatment before and during the war. With a microphone and a tape recorder weighing 7kg, Sakibe would visit villages, kinder gartens, schools and sometimes even public parks to broadcast the problems, dreams and aspirations of children, with whom she formed a bond over the years. The final development of Kosovan journalism was television, which from the perspective of a journalist, differs extensively from radio and newspaper, both in theory and practice. Television revolutionized the concept of media from audio to visuals. Her 18 years of work with RTV21 continues, yet Sakibe states that she is still “mastering the art of Journalism.” Emphasizing the role of the youth and children, she says happily: “I’m still surrounded by children in the programs I direct, with whom I’m very happy about. If we pay attention, young people reveal what they want and their worries with the utmost sincerity. At times, they are the ones telling adults what to do.”

Kosovo Slam Poetry Belen McKechnieCharle

Slam Poetry has become a worldwide trend amongst teenagers, allowing them to express their feelings of frustration and self discovery through their writing. Slam poetry encourages teenagers to explore a more artistic side of themselves that is often neglected in classrooms and can lead to a wider acceptance of stigmatized topics and a rediscovery self confidence that is often lost during the teenage years of a person’s life. The first Slam Poetry event in Kosovo was held in 2015 in its capital Prishtina. This year the event was repeated in December, 2016 and the turnout was bigger and better than last year. The main event has lead to several other “open mic” Slam Poetry events in 2017. The first one was held at Prishtina HackerSpace in February with the help of Termokiss and the second one was held on March 12th at The White Tree with help from their staff.

ASK OBSERVER Slam Poetry is reaching all corners of the world and it is incredible to see teenagers in Kosovo feel safe to express their feelings of sadness, anger, love and happiness in such an accepting community of people. More impressive is the fact that a vast majority of the participants write in English and Albanian, English being their second and in some cases third language. Slam Poetry creates a space for people to find comfort in their insecurities and for them to explore the development of their character. To see some of the poems from the event at Prishtina HackerSpace you can visit the Termokiss YouTube channel.

Dokufest;

A Movement Toward Change Anika Krasniqi

"Kosovo is known more for conflict than culture, but at a film festival in the country’s prettiest town, partying and arts mix to great effect." The Guardian[1] Everyone in the state of Kosovo has heard about DokuFest, but this festival that gathers people from all over the world used to be just a small movement struggling to make it. It started as a volunteer based organization in 2002 and it had almost no funding in the beginning. In 2002, some of the citizens of Prizren got together and created a movement to functionalize Lumbardhi, a cinema that originally opened in 1952 but closed as a result of the war in 1999. “It was unacceptable that the second biggest open air cinema in Yugoslavia, after the one in Pula, Croatia was closed,” says the co-founder of DokuFest, Eroll Shporta. “I remember it was almost like a rule for us to go to the cinema Lumbardhi, of course before the war. Only four tickets needed to be sold in order for the management of the cinema to play the movie. When it was only three of us going to watch the movie we would sometimes buy the fourth ticket so they would play the movie.” recalls Shporta.

“It was our naïve idea that if we start putting the cinema to work with our activities it would start to work regularly.” said Veton Nurkollari, Program Director of DokuFest. Because the government tried to privatize it and turn it into a parking lot they had many difficulties putting their plans into action. “We had to defend the cinema literally.” said Nurkollari. Even though they lacked money and support for DokuFest, they still managed to have their first edition in 2002. They say it was a struggle organizing a festival without any sort of experience in that area. “To organize a film festival and to love movies are completely two different things.” emphasized Shporta. “At the time, none of us had ever been to a documentary film festival (mainly because of the conditions back then). We didn’t have the experience, nor the money, but we put ourselves totally in it because of the love we had for that cinema and movies.” said Nurkollari.

DokuFest 9th Edition, Google Image

“We wanted to bring new kinds of films, that at the time, were not popular in Kosovo.” explained Shporta. This helped them in the branding. DokuFest wasn’t like any other festival but now it is known for its unique movie selection. DokuFest became an official festival in 2008 and it’s now known worldwide for its films, workshops, and last but not least, parties. It has multiple cinemas all over the city of Prizren (Kino Lumbardhi, Kino Kalaja, DokuKino, Kino Lumi, Kino Pllatoja, Kino Andrra etc). It also provides workshops and DokuTalks every day. Dream cinema (Kino Andrra) also transforms into DokuNights after midnight, creating an atmosphere that invites you to join. But after all of its success, it still continues to struggle with funding. “We are an activist movement that aims to make differences and changes in our society using documentary films,” says Eroll Bilibani, executive director of DokuFest “and that’s why we don’t have stable funding.” Even after 15 years of success, Kosovo’s Ministry of Culture still doubts that DokuFest is going to succeed, said Nita Deda, the Festival Director. Despite all of its struggles, DokuFest is still going strong and holding its 16th edition this year from August 4th to 12th and welcomes everybody from all over the world to join its movement.

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THEATRE; The Greatest of All Art Forms Nailda Mellani

National Theatre of Pristina invites everyone to join their plays every evening. Theatre will bring you closer to art. Culture is very important to a country because it is constructed by the society, and they both shape each other. Culture defines and represents us as a community. It includes everything that has to do with our language, traditions, music and art. Theatres are a very important part of our culture and there is no doubt that Kosovo has a lot of talented actors. But, does our society appreciate art? How often do they visit theatres and do they really enjoy going to theatre? Pristina has only three active theatres which are The National Theatre, ODA and Dodona.They are all located in the heart of Pristina which makes it a lot easier for everyone to find and join them. As we go upstairs at the National Theatre, Mr. Beqir Beqiri waits for us with a smile on his face. He feels very optimistic that there are a lot of students that have joined tonight’s premiere “I ligu per mend,” and he is very assured that the youth of Kosovo really enjoy going to theatre. “All the tickets are sold out and 90 percent of the audience are students.”- said Beqiri. Every evening there is a performance going on at the National Theatre, either a Drama or Ballet. The theatre conditions are relatively good; however, he really believes that there is room for improvement, since there is only one active stage. Every year they plan to bring 11 premieres, 6 in theatre and 5 in ballet. According to Beqiri, Front picture of National Theatre, Pristina actors work hard and with

great devotion. They need 25-30 days to prepare so they can present their best performance. And this is what he likes the most about theatre: the real feeling that one gets watching the actors acting. The message that Beqiri gives us is mostly directed to the teachers. “I think that teachers should cooperate with us, they should organize small trips to the theatre so everyone can have the chance to experience the theatre itself. I’m sure that students will come back again with their friends.” Flutura Balaj, student at ASK explains for us why she loves theater. “Kosovo has very talented actors and this makes the plays interesting and successful. Each show that I have seen has had a well-developed script, interesting characters and amazing actors bringing the play to life. I prefer theatre over movies mainly because it seems extremely real, everything is so alive and it does not seem fake or mediocre.” She ends up saying that the youth of Kosovo are very lucky because they only have to pay one euro to attend the plays and that theatre help them (youth) get closer to art. Theatre is important to us because it widens our horizons and develops our creativity. It is often mentioned as one of the greatest arts and the first love of lots of people. Try to spend some time in theatre; you will become part of the play.

The Power of Performance Alba Ajdareviq and Lea Meraku Upon first look, Christie Coleman gives the impression that she is a dancer, with straight posture and gracious movements. Her dedication towards art and expressing it through dance is also evident in her field of work. After studying Dance and Dance Education at New York University and University of Mary Washington, she continued to pursue her passion by traveling to numerous places around the world (such as Kenya, Uganda, and Kosovo) and completing workshops. Christie is constantly interested in sharing the power of the performing arts; this is best seen in her creations, such as the play Transitional Justice, performed on many stages, including the National Theatre of Kosova. The play was performed twice at the National Theatre of Kosova (once in February and once in March) and it received a very good review. The play focused on freedom versus control, equality versus oppression, and division versus unity. "This play moved me in so many ways," says a student regarding Transitional Justice, "it manages to encompass so many aspects of life through music and movement, all the while expressing emotion and beauty." Christie also led a workshop at the American School of Kosova, where she organized a dance

ASK OBSERVER with interested students during a five day workshop. The play was mainly about female empowerment and equality, both topics widely talked about and relevant around the world. The students participating in this workshop were free to explore themselves and their moves, and share with others. This way, each of them collaborated with one another and Christie, and came up with a show that left everyone who was present surprised. Hosted by Ms. Shannon, who was moved to tears, the show was a huge success, achieving its goal and spreading the idea of equality among genders, whether in the work place, home, school, or family, and showing the importance of females. Despite the workshop being over, she promises to return to Kosovo once more in order to resume her cooperation with the National Theatre. She has now gone back to New York to continue her work, but is excited for her return to Kosovo. The importance of the works of Christie and her play are examples of the aesthetic experience of watching dancers; it is one of the most powerful ways to make a statement and raise awareness. Dance once again proves its impact on art, beauty, and life.

Poster of the show

Pictures taken during the performance in the National Theater of Kosova.

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New Born – No walls Nailda Mellani

Fisnik Ismaili puts a new ideology to life. New Born wants to bring the walls down, for the sake of humanity. Pristina, 17th of February 2008. Kosovo is announced as an independent country from Serbia. Albanians all around the world are celebrating this big day. But more excited, proud and joyful than ever are the people of Pristina, who are gathered in front of the “Palace of Youth and Sports”. They are waiting for the “New Born” monument to be unveiled, since they know that this moment will always be significant for our history. As the blue and yellow banner states “New life is born, new hope is born, a new future is born, a new country is born,” Kosovars are ready to take huge steps towards improvement and the life they always wished for.

The “New Born” monument is considered as a symbol of the creation of a new state in the Balkans, Kosovo. The first people to put a permanent signature on the monument were the former President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi followed by thousands of people. The statue weights 9 tons and has dimensions of 3.24 and 0.9 meters. The theme and the patterns are changed every year and unveiled on Kosovo’s independence anniversary. Since it is written in English, New Born is very attractive for foreign tourists. This year, Mr. Fisnik Ismaili, the creator of the “New Born” monument, brought a whole new ideology to life. More than just a symbol of Kosovo’s independence, he decided to give an overall message. The letters N and W were laid down and the slogan No Walls was added. This message seems to be mostly directed to Serbs who built a wall in Mitrovica, as well as President Donald Trump’s ideas to build a wall along the US-Mexican border.“In a world where walls are being built every day, and the freedom of movement is becoming ever more limited by narrow minds, while a wall here continuously harms Kosovo's sovereignty, “New Born” wants to bring “New Born – No walls” monument, those walls down, for the sake of humanGoogle Image ity.” – said Ismaili through an Instagram post. Most of the people seem to like the idea “I love the design that they did this

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LGBT Community in Kosovo Arta Ahmeti and Anika Krasniqi

year. It is very significant and the message is very powerful. I wish that there be no more walls in Kosovo as well as in the world. People don’t like walls, people fight walls.” – said a random girl on the Mother Teresa square. However, some old designs remain favorites for several people. “My favorite design was that year with flags, where each of them was representative of countries that recognize Kosovo as a new independent country. I felt proud and I really hope that even more countries will recognize us as a state in the future.” – said Jonida Carkaxhiu, student at ASK. Each year new designs and ideas will appear, but one thing is for sure; the “New Born” monument is always going to remind us of the suffering, sacrifice and the victory that our nation had.

The I-LGBTI community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex) remains heavily discriminated in the Balkans, but mostly, our country, Kosovo, where the society sees LGBTI as abnormal. According to a 2015 poll by the National Democracy Institute (NDI), 81% of the LGBTI community in Kosovo has suffered threats or insults because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. According to Kosovo’s constitution, the Government of Kosovo has been very supportive of the LGBTI community, prohibiting the discrimination based on sexual preference. But unfortunately, this law remains only on paper. A member of CSGD (Center of Social Group Development), Agim Margilaj, in an interview for RTV21 said that in 2015 there was a study from NDI which showed us that only 3% of the Kosovar students would accept their child if it was a part of the LGBTI community. “Kosovo remains one of the countries with the highest level of homophobia in the Western Balkans,

not including Croatia and Slovenia. Regarding the law, the LGBTI community is definitely protected; however, there is a significant difference between social acceptance and the legislative one. We have had 17 cases from 2012 where people from the LGBTI community were attacked physically and mentally, said Margilaj.

in Kosovo think that the LGBT community is just a group of mentally disabled people that just somehow turned ‘gay’ on purpose. For all the people out there that go through this every day, my advice is to just stay strong and do you because no matter what it’s only going to be you in the end.” It is obvious that people are afraid of what they don't understand. People fear change. LGBT rights may not be a brand new topic but it is important to know, because these social justice issues have not been resolved yet. At the end of the day, everyone deserves to love.

Prishtina celebrating the International day against homo- and transphobia.

“There were people who called me names like ‘tranny’or told me that I needed mental help. I always got told that this was just a phase, but it didn’t feel that way to me.” said L.M, a transgender living in Kosovo’s capital, Prishtina. “I didn’t feel comfortable in my body since I was young and when I finally started accepting the fact that I am transgender there were people throwing words my way. That never actually helped with my journey as a transgender.” He added. “ I was lucky to be born with such accepting parents, but unlucky to be born in such a homophobic society as the one here in Kosovo. I do have friends who love me and support me every step of the way but there are also people who are the opposite. It’s very frustrating that people in

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Story of Survival: North Korean defector Yeonmi Park Drin Krasniqi

During my week at Three Dot Dash Just Peace Summit I had the opportunity to meet Yeonmi Park, the famous North Korean defector in person. Her story is one of the most inspirational stories I've ever heard. She entered the room smiling and grabbed the microphone, starting her speech just like everybody else, though the first thing she asked was “Who here has met anyone from North Kora?” No one raised their hands. She was the first person we've all seen from North Korea, and this is something that the entire world shares. She continued by saying “You probably know our leader as the fat dictator, to you he is a joke, but to us he was a god.” That opening was enough for all of the people there to give Yeonmi our full attention, though none of us was expecting to hear all of the cruel events she had experienced. Growing up, Yeonmi said that she knew almost nothing about the outside world. There were no maps in North Korea. People are raised knowing about Russia, China and this very bad country called the United States of America. You are allowed to read only what the government wants you to read and you are allowed to watch only the things your government wants you to watch. “I see very different hair styles here. You may think why is she mentioning this? Of course we have different hair styles, though in North Korea, the government chooses your hairstyle” - added Yeonmi when talking about life in her country. Her dad was a professor, though in order to survive he had to trade iron with China and he was sent to a labor camp after being caught. ”This was what encouraged me and my mother to leave our country, because we knew that we couldn't survive any other way.” Another interesting fact that made Yeonmi more curious about the outside world was when she saw the movie Titanic, and she liked Leonardo DiCaprio so much that she wanted to escape North Korea to meet him. She and her mother took the journey across the river between North Korea and China, though this journey wasn't easy. Yeonmi explained how she managed to

survive for weeks by eating insects and whatever she could find on their way towards the Chinese border. Though before continuing reading, know that just when it seems like her story has reached the perfect ending, something bad occurs and vice-versa. “We were caught by the Chinese military, and they wanted to send us back, which meant immediate death in North Korea. One of the officers said that they would allow us inside if I would have sex with him, I was 13 at that time and in order to save me, my mother offered herself to him and I saw my mother get raped in front of my eyes.” “This was when I lost my faith in humanity,” added Yeonmi. After successfully entering China, she wanted to take her father out of the regime as well, since she knew that he would soon die if left there. “I became the slave of a person who was four times my age, because in exchange he agreed to bring my father to China.” The man kept his word, and Yeonmi was able to reunite with her father and mother and started living in China secretly so that the government wouldn't find them. It would be great to end the story like this, though the story continues. Yeonmi's father had cancer, and because of the severe mistreatment in the camp, he passed away shortly after meeting with her. Because they were living in secret, Yeonmi and her mother had to bury him somewhere in the mountains, without giving him any kind of public funeral. This was the first time that Yeonmi teared up. “I had to bury my father, who had committed his life to me, without any proper burial rituals because we did not want to be found by the government and sent back.” Shortly after, she and her mother had to go to Mongolia, which meant they had to pass a whole dessert on foot, to escape the government forces. Yeonmi said that it was during this journey, that she felt the most scared, because if she were to die there, then no one would know about it, she would've been forgotten and it would've been like she had never existed. After passing the Mongolian border, they were confronted by Mongolian forces, who wanted to take them back to North Korea. “I took a knife and said that I'd kill myself there, because even death there would be better than going back to North Korea.” The soldiers agreed to let them in, and after a few months, South Korea accepted their plea for asylum. Yeonmi lived a few years in South Korea, where even though she was 16 at the time, her knowledge was equivalent to that of a second grader, so she had to be home schooled because of the constant bullying she faced. She adds that she Yeonmi Park, NorthKorean Defector, learned English through watching the TV Google Image show “Friends” numerous times and she

ASK OBSERVER got to the U.S. through a conference where she gave a speech. To conclude her story, Yeonmi told us that she was now studying at Columbia University, and that in the future she still wants to go back to North Korea when the regime is over. When asked about how the regime should be ended she said: “The only way is to change the peoples' way of thinking there, because they really think that the leader is a god and that whatever he said should be done.” She teared up in the end and ended her story by saying “I know that my story has nothing to do with your lives, and that you will one day grow up and become future leaders, but please remember me, and know that there are people out there who are suffering daily at the hands of our dictator.” If you want to hear a more in depth description of her speech you can read it at the Huffington Post website, where one of the audience members wrote a full story on her and you can buy her book, In Order to Live.

Disabled Children in Kosovo

Small Steps, Go Big Ways! Rona Preteni Every year, in the first week of September, more than 408,000children go back to school, 27,000 are first grade students. Have you ever wondered how many of the disabled children in Kosovo are part of this regular education system? “6,049 disabled children in Kosovo are currently part of the public schools” says Alush Istogu, the Administration Director of the Ministry of Education. Even though these children are supported by a number of laws, a big percentage of them live in unacceptable living conditions, thus negatively impacting their school performance. "We as a society are not happy with what is offered to our children, considering the lack of adequate learning resources and also the lack of trained support assistants” says Mr.Gashi the parent of 11 year old Ylli, a Down Syndrome student at the “Ali Kelmendi” primary school in Vushtrri.

“Even though the institutions do what they can, it is the parents that have to take care of the costs to support their children’s education” says Fidane Maxhuni, teacher at the “Ali Kelmendi” primary school in Vushtrri. At this point it is visible that a number of active society members have taken matters into their own hands to help this part of the community. Just last month as an initiative of G.Preteni, OSCE and KFOR, a large amount of equipment and money were donated to improve the environment of this class.“It is an amazing feeling to know the difference we can make with as little as 10 euro from our monthly pay” - says James. The group of children with special needs from “Ali Kelmendi” primary school in Vushtrri visited the OSCE headquarters in Prishtina, last week. After welcoming them to the Mission, OSCE Ambassador Jan Braathu was briefed about their daily activities and challenges, and the ways the Mission could help them in the future. The guests on the other hand expressed gratitude for the equipment, computers, learning tools, and toys donated by the Mission. “This is a very pleasant visit and I’m very happy to hear you are doing well at school,” said Ambassador Jan Braathu. “Your teachers are doing incredible work, and we would certainly like to see more support coming your way” added Braathu.

“Our classroom is more attractive for students and our work as teachers easier. I’m glad that we have a common goal to help our children,” said Maxhuni. “It is crazy and yet incredible, that one hour with these children was so hard for our supportive staff, while there are people that spent a lifetime with them” says Preteni, program manager for OSCE. “It is important that each of us gives a small contribution for a better change in those children’s lives and future”-added Preteni.

Vushtria class with dissabilities meets OSCE President

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HIV/AIDS In Kosovo Arta Ahmeti

HIV/AIDS is a deadly infection affecting millions of people all around the world. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. If left untreated, it leads to the disease AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). Even though Kosovo is a small country where such infections are uncommon, there are still cases where young people get infected. However, due to social conservatism, they are afraid to admit it and get treated. Izet Sadiku from the Ministry of Health says that the number of people infected in Kosovo has been gradually increasing. “We have only 100 cases recorded from 1986 till now. In 2016 there were 10 new cases, indicating that the number is increasing bit by bit.”-Sadiku says. Stigma in our society has been the key factor contributing to undoubtedly an inaccurate number of cases being reported. Prejudice, negative attitudes and abuse directed at people living with HIV and AIDS are common in Kosovo. According to research, in 35% of countries with available data, over 50% of men and women report having discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV.Some people infected are shunned by family, peers and the wider community. Sihana Bejtullahu, a member of PEN organization (Pen Education Network) claims that many people in Kosovo have no knowledge or are misinformed. People living with HIV and AIDS are often seen as shameful. “Of course there are negative attitudes and people who think that having HIV/AIDS is abnormal and embarrassing because HIV and AIDS are believed to bring shame upon the family. The reason that the disease has devastated so many people is because of a lack of knowledge and education on how to deal with the

disease. Some think that HIV/AIDS is transmitted by only shaking hands or drinking from the same bottle as someone infected, which is totally untrue.HIV is a virus that infects people only by getting inside their blood cells.”- Bejtullahu says. When asked about what actions PEN is taking to prevent HIV, she added: “We are doing our best to raise awareness in society. PEN is constantly lecturing students about this virus and its risks. Until now, everyone is very interested. Initially we started training people in Prishtina and other bigger cities, and then in rural places. I hope that people who get infected in the future are not going to be embarrassed by it anymore.”

The conditions of the Elderly in Kosova Enduena Klajiqi All of us are waiting for the time when we will be wiser and older; a time during which we will finally be heard and taken care of. Well, imagine a world during in which you will endlessly wait to be heard. You don’t actually have to imagine it because this is a fact of our society. Those older and wiser people are our elderly, and they have been neglected in our country for a long time now. Kosovo has faced and solved many problems since the war ended; however, this issue remains unsolved and not really discussed. When asked about the conditions of elderly in Kosovo, Ibrahim Bajrami, a retiree, answered with great pessimism: “I don’t have any opinion on the topic.” The wages and also the standards are very low. “We are not a formative country; we’re not like we’re supposed to be,” Bajrami continued. He blames the authorities and the government itself for not making enough effort to solve elderly person’s problems; to him changes can’t be made. Bajrami is not the only one who has such pessimism about the matter, others have similar opinions. Elez Alaj, a member of the Independent Trade Union Federation of Pensioners and People with Disabilities of Kosovo tells us a little about how

ASK OBSERVER retirement came to be what it is today. “The idea of retirement itself began in Germany, to help the people who have contributed by working for more than 40 years, since being elderly itself makes it harder to fulfill one’s needs. Thus, the need for supporting elderly through pensions until death was born.” Alaj also sees the condition of the elderly in Kosovo as critical; he even compares the pensions of the elderly with a social case. “With the replacement of the old system with the democracy that we have today, pensioners are in a miserable position, it is compared with charity regardless of the contributions that a person may have made in fields such as education or medicine. This government doesn’t have enough respect towards these individuals.” adds Alaj. Elez Alaj also believes that the division of the Union of Pensioners has contributed to the current state of the elderly in Kosovo. Another individual, part of the elderly community who has requested to remain anonymous, believes that the situation of pensioners in Kosovo leaves a lot to be desired, even though the government has started to give more attention to solving the issues of the pensioners and the treatment of the elderly in Kosovo. “Improvements of the life of the elderly include a variety of fields based on their needs such as materialistic, social, medical, recreational etc. It would be better if also there would be some sort of organizing event which would take this category to places that interest them” adds Person X, when asked about the improvements in the treatment of elderly. The elderly are a social group that face many challenges, especially in an undeveloped country such as ours. The miserable state of the elderly in Kosovo at the moment is a burden for our current government. . In a Facebook post posted by The Independent Trade Union Federation of Pensioners and People with Disabilities of Kosovo it is stated that the Mediteran café, a place of gathering for the elders. Union has had an assembly discussing the current condition of the pensioners and also the ratification of the Law on Trade Union Organization in Kosovo No.04-L-011, which was passed without their knowledge, proving once again that their voice isn’t being heard. The elderly is a vulnerable category of society which is in constant need of help, It is our responsibility to help them get their voice heard.

Euthanasia; an issue to be addressed Enduena Klajiqi One of the most controversial topics in the world that summons a moral dilemma is euthanasia; also, known as assisted suicide. Euthanasia is a method used by the medical world to end persistent suffering by the patient’s request. The reason this topic is controversial is that is brings a lot of questions regarding religion, morals, ethics and compassion. Since the process itself requires legal and medical procedures and a lot of public debate, many countries haven’t even considered euthanasia as a possibility. Euthanasia, or assisted suicide, is illegal in most countries of the world; however, it is legal in Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg and two states of the United States and must be provided by doctors and other health care professionals according to strict criteria only. The reason why many communities agree on having this public discussion about such a sensitive topic is because of patient requests to legalize euthanasia in order to end their suffering. A lot of countries in the world do provide patients with the option to stop treatment as long as they perform a psychiatric evaluation, which

may be useless in cases of extremely painful diseases such as cancer. In a lot of countries there are unclear laws governing these terms. Countries in which some forms of assisted suicide and passive euthanasia is allowed are Germany, Mexico and five American states. Understanding euthanasia means understanding the medical and legal process following the patient’s decision. The patient is usually given an overdose of muscle relaxants, which causes coma, and eventually death. So, knowing all the factors, reasons supporting euthanasia and the circumstances, the question remains: Should Euthanasia be legal? Well, the answer to that question may vary depending upon what an individual believes; but, it is undeniable that there is a sort of humanity involved in the cause. However, whatever you believe in, it seems like in Kosovo, this topic has not been discussed and not many people know the concept of euthanasia, while European countries continue to have aggressive debates over the issue. The representative of the World Health Organization (WHO)_in Kosovo, Dr. Skender Sylaj has declared for Kosova.info that: “Euthanasia is a complex issue with a lot of point of views: moral, ethical, religious, philosophical, etc. Legalizing it depends solely on the country. WHO has no recommendation over this matter.” While many are considering the concept, which is brand new in the public debate, the executive director of the National Institute of Public Health said for Kosova.info that this issue hasn’t been discussed yet, leaving one to believe that

ASK OBSERVER Kosovo is once again in the dark for such important issues. Knowing the aspects of this, it is important for us address it, if not to start legalization of the process, but to raise awareness so people’s opinions can be heard on such an important

matter. Public debate is an important asset to every democracy, it is about time we use ours, especially concerning such topics because being humane doesn’t always involve the easiest decisions.

To what extent should violent protests be justified? Protests are often dismissed and looked over when they turn violent; often times, news reporters focus on the violence and the damage being done rather than the root of the problem and reasons the protests became violent. Violence is the last thing people resort to when they’re in a situation in which they can no longer accept what is going on around them. We saw this with Britain and the Allied powers resistance engage in war with Germany before WWII. Britain and its allies used the policy of appeasement in order to prevent war for as long as it was possible but eventually gave in when they realized Hitler had gone too far. We also saw it in the Baltimore protests of 2015, when the youth became so fed up with police brutality that they turned to violence in order to express their discontent. So, if violence is the last resort, then why is it frowned upon? Personally, I am opposed to most violence, especially when dealing with wars or international crisis, but in situations such as the Baltimore protests, I think it is more than justified to use force. In fact, violence in this case, should be accepted and praised. For decades people have tried to convey their concerns and anger through peaceful means in order to try to get their point across, but eventually it reaches a point where people have had enough and people realize that unless they do something big and extraordinary their voices will not be heard, and so they resort to violence. It is the duty of the people to demand their natural rights of liberty, life and property in whatever way they deem fit for the situation. Because at the end of the day what catches someone's attention more than broken windows and flaming rubbish bins? Like John Locke said “The actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts”.

UC Berkeley

Students Protest Speaker

something you're really offended by you can always just walk away” says one student, “you can't just stop people from saying things.” Another student also added, “Even if you disagree with something, that person has a right to say it.”

Bert Hasani You may have heard of the name Milo Yiannopoulos in the past, or in light of recent events, the name might have frequently cropped up in the media. He's the former senior editor of Breitbart News and a self labeled troll. Recently, what's made Milo especially relevant is the protest against his appearance at the Berkeley Campus at the University of California. Milo often makes appearances at universities all over America, making speeches and spreading his ideologies. Although, as it happened, he wasn't so welcome this time around. Violent protesters smashed windows, threw firecrackers, and pepper sprayed individuals in an attempt to stop Milo from speaking. Milo’s appearance was later cancelled, which to some brought great joy and to others much disappointment. Events like these raise many important questions, perhaps most importantly, is it right to stifle free speech even if that individual is spreading philosophies that might seem hateful to some? While that may seem like a ridiculous question, it's seemed to have evolved into a genuine concern. A few ASK students, who prefer to stay anonymous, have answered this with their own standpoints. “If you hear

Milo Yiannopoulos, a British Media Personalityin one of his speeches, Google Image

This isn't the first time such an event has occurred on one of Milo’s panels, in one instance he's had a panel taken over by Black Lives Matter supporters. With Milo being such a controversial figure, many universities debate if he should be given a platform to speak. Milo himself has commented on the Berkley episode, claiming that “the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down” while a protester stated that it is an “obligation” to stop people like Milo from speaking. Both the far right and far left have been under a lot of fire these days due to borderline radicalism of their ideologies, so perhaps it's best to remain closer to the middle on the political scale.

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Awaken, My love! Alba Llugiqi

American actor, writer, producer, director, comedian, rapper, singer, and songwriter, Donald Glover, or most commonly known as Childish Gambino, has released his third studio album Awaken, My Love!, which has left both his long time fans and new listeners in awe. Gambino's new album fuels us with anxiety, fear, passion, love, and beauty in massive doses due to the decades of soul, funk, and R&B. Gambino dedicates this album to his newborn son with songs like “Me and Your Mama”, “Baby Boy” and “ The Night Me and Your Mama Met” What really took many new listeners of Gambino by surprise was that the rapper and singer released his whole album for free on YouTube. In his recent release, he states “Chance made millions, Haim made millions, Dan made millions, Kendrick made millions. I would too if I wasn't in my feelings.” He means, all he really wanted was for his music to be out there for people to enjoy and see things from an artist's perspective. But this isn't new for his long time listeners. What really took them by surprise was that there was no rapping throughout the album yet, there was no controversy. Instead a majority of listeners continued to indulge Gambino's beautiful voice and even listen to many of his covers like “So Into You” In conclusion I see Gambino's new album as something to really listen to if you're looking for deeper meanings both lyrically and spiritually.You can see things from his point of view throughout his music and really enhance your thinking with a bit of hard work. This album is a true masterpiece from Childish Gambino. But, the recent controversies concerning whether or not Gambino and Chance the rapper are teaming up to make a new EP is what is really leaving all fans on the edge of their seats. Childish Gambino, Album Cover - Awaken, my Love, Google Image

It’s Grime’s Time To Shine Bert Hasani Hip Hop is one of the most popular music genres of the 21st century and heavily associated with Western culture. But, have you ever thought about the scene overseas? When you think of some of the most successful and iconic Hip Hop artists these days, Drake, Kanye, Eminem, Jay Z, and many other American artists likely come to mind. But, on the other side of the pond, there are artists making their way up and gaining popularity. Artists such as Skepta, Stormzy, JME, and Wiley have pioneered UK Hip Hop, which is usually referred to as ‘Grime.’ Grime is a mix of many genres, including UK Garage and Jungle with Jamaican influences. Although, Grime, the way we know it today, has only been around since the early 2000s, which is also when it started gaining mainstream attention in the UK. Outside of the UK, Grime has only recently started making significant waves. Skepta turned heads with his track ‘Shutdown’ while Stormzy’s latest album Gang Signs & Prayer is receiving much notoriety both inside and outside its hometown. It has topped the charts in the UK achieving the #1 spot while huge voices like Adele and Coldplay are also endorsing the album. These are only a couple of the most recent instances of Grime gaining influence.

Grime Artists' pictures, taken from The FADER, Google Image

Another important event in Grime’s history, is that Grime artists made an appearance at the Brit Awards (think British Grammys) for the first time ever this year. Stormzy even performed along Ed Sheeran while Skepta had a solo performance of his own. These are exciting times for the UK as their artists finally get the recognition they deserve, while foreigners get to experience a whole new side of music.

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The Cinematic Universe and Its Effect On Hollywood Bert Hasani

Back in 2008, Marvel released Iron Man. This was the beginning of a long series of movies ranging from The Incredible Hulk to Captain America, but what's the significance? Back in that year, Marvel created their own cinematic universe, one of the first of its kind. This meant multiple movies under different titles would all come together to create a cohesive story in a singular universe. This had never been attempted on such a mass scale before, so it was predicted to bomb. Critics largely thought audiences wouldn't want to go to multiple movies under different titles to understand the story. In hindsight, they were terribly wrong. There are movies in the cinematic universe still being made, and even movies already formally announced with up to 2019 release dates and later. Try to make sense of this:

Cinematic universe, Google image

Since then, multiple studios have attempted to replicate what Marvel has done with their own franchises. Most notably, DC is currently trying their hand at their own cinematic universe as well as Disney with Star Wars. These two examples contrast quite well, as one of them is an example of how to do a cinematic universe correctly, while the other seems to be a bit of a flop. Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Star Wars, at least so far, falls into the latter category. Currently they've released two movies, both fairly well received, and the future movies they've announced seem like a step in the right direction. One year they further the main story (Episode VII), while the next they'll release a spin-off (Rogue One). DC on the other hand is rushing the process. Instead of building their story and characters throughout the years, they seem to be wanting to catch up with Marvel without any of the effort. Everything they've put out so far has been received as mediocre to bad from critics, but fans may hope they can salvage what they've done so far and land on their feet with their upcoming projects. One cinematic universe that barely even launched was Sonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remake of Ghostbusters. It was expected to be a huge moneymaker, although it failed at the box office that and no instalments in that universe are expected to be released. Perhaps the cinematic universe is just an expensive fad, but it has certainly changed the face of Hollywood for the coming years.

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Start the Spark celebrates spring Rona Preteni Volunteering is a huge part of a happy and successful society. Vushtrri although small in size, is very active in this aspect. Start The Spark (STS) is a girl volunteer club in Vushtrri that Kate Waller, Peace Corps teacher and I started in August, 2016. Start The Spark is focused on youth, teaching self love and love for others. This weekend STS used the great weather to hold Spring Fest, bringing more than 70 children ages 3-11 and their parents to five hours full of games and activities. “I love how successful and fun this day was, I am thankful for our volunteers and our supporters that help create a great learning and fun environment for the children of Vushtrri’’ says Kate Wallner. “We had 7 STS volunteers and 4 Peace Corps, including myself” she continued. The reason for the activity was to celebrate Spring outside, playing games we couldn't play during winter; red light, green light, duck duck goose, ships and sailors, hokey pokey and Simon says were just a few. “My favorite thing of the Spring Fest was seeing how other people that were just passing by stopped to help, like Dafina who saw how overwhelmed

I was with the number of children at the face paint station and ended up staying for two hours. I am glad to live around people like this.” says Hajrie Popova, one of the STS members. After the activities the children were really happy and so were the parents. Everyone helped clean up the park and we went home knowing we also taught a great lesson about environmental health.

Car accidents in Kosovo Arta Ahmeti

“The faster you drive, the greater the risk” Car accidents are frequent in Kosovo. We often hear of road accidents and read about them in newspapers, which sometimes results in the loss of life. According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, the number of car accidents in Kosovo is frightening. One of the worst car accidents reported not long ago was on the road from Pristine to Fushe Kosove, where 5 cars were involved, 10 people were injured and one of them was a 9-month old baby. The accident caused brain hemorrhage to the baby and the others involved were sent home from the hospital right

after. As stated by Kosovo Police, “there were around 8,000 accidents in 2016, where 46 people lost their lives.” Milaim Fejzullahu, the head of traffic police, states that the “driver’s carelessness and behavior” are the main causes of these accidents. “The key factor that leads to car accidents is speed. The faster you drive, the greater the risk. The problem is that exceeding the speed limit by a little in the wrong place can be just as dangerous. Traffic engineers determine the maximum speeds allowable for safe travel, but many people do not obey the rules” Fejzullahu says.This year, car accidents are gradually declining. “The traffic police has done a great job penalizing drivers who exceeded the speed limit.” Daut Hoxha, a traffic police officer said that during 2016, they have punished approximately 150,000 drivers. “We are doing our best to prevent as many accidents as we can by penalizing drivers. But the most concerning drivers are the young ones without a driving license. The Kosovo Police and all the institutions need to cooperate in order to stop such car accidents. Only in that way we can reach safety in traffic.” Mr. Hoxha claims. But driver’s behavior is not always the reason to such deadly accidents. Unfortunately, in Kosovo roads are often covered with snow and ice during the winter period and are not well maintained. Due to poor maintenance, dozens of accidents occurred. A high school student says that

she lost her grandmother in a car accident because of icy roadways. “Some of my family members were driving on an icy road and for a moment the driver could not stop the car. They hit a bus, and my grandmother lost her life,” the student added. Beside this case, there were many others reported because of ice and snow on roadways and poor maintenance of them. The most endangered ones are the kids. An 8-year-old girl attending Faik Konica School in Kosovo’s capital, Prishtina, says that she is afraid to cross the road by herself because people drive too fast. “I always wait for my parents to come pick me up. I don’t want to get hurt because of fast drivers”. Zana Gashi, another citizen and a student at the University of Prishtina claims that people care more about their car than the rules. “Of course there are car accidents occurring everyday. I feel like people want to show off their deluxe car by driving fast and not obeying the traffic rules,”-She says. Fast drivers, roads and bad weather or environmental conditions lead to car accidents. It is estimated that about two million people die of car accidents across the world per year. Thus, is it essential that we as citizens should all follow traffic rules and regulations in order to be safe and not lose our life or endanger somebody else’s life.

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Behind The Green Doors of Metro Fjolla Fejza What if I told that the most powerful weapon that can unite people all over the world has always been here among us? It was right in front of our eyes, but we were way too busy enjoying it, that we totally forgot what this powerful weapon, or food, can do. Food has always been a big factor in our lives; it has evolved from a thing used to survive to a thing eaten for pleasure. Nowadays there are thousands and thousands of restaurants and coffee shops that have food as their main attraction. I told you food can attract anyone… especially if it’s free. The noises hit me as soon as I opened the door. The tables were full. Iit always amazes me how small this place is, and yet manages to serve all of those people. In here you don’t really have much choices, since they are known for their goddess salads and sandwiches. In here you eat something you can’t find anywhere else, something that has you craving as soon as you step in. And probably that’s one of the many reasons why this tiny coffee shop is famous in our town. However , due to the prices you don’t get to see students, or kids frequenting it as much as adults do. If you are running late and don’t have much time “Metro” is the best place to finish that meal you have been craving all morning. The service is another big thing that people adore at Metro. Within five minutes that you have ordered the plate appears in front of you. The waiters tend to be really respectful and are there ready to take your order as soon as you open that door. Concerning the food, there isn’t a lot you can say about it other than to just go and taste it. Now the powerful weapon wasn’t brought up for no reason… in Metro you can meet people from all over the world who are living in Kosovo, and interact with them more than anywhere else in this city. It’s weird how this tiny coffee shop has a whole different world happening behind those green windows. Behind the green windows, Metro serves the right kind of food, not just cheap garbage that we are so used to eating every day. If you happen to find yourself in Pristina and struggling to decide where to eat, just give this small coffee shop a chance. Trust me Metro is always a good idea.

Green & Protein

Healthy food restaurant Nailda Mellani

Eating healthy is a lifestyle. Green & Protein brings you closer to it. From the students running to school to the busy streets, life is very dynamic in Pristina. In our busy schedules, when we get hungry, we often tend to choose fast food and continue with our fast lives. However, while we are trying to please our taste, we forget about the health danger that this might pose. Eating healthy is not about strict food limitations, it is about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health and your mood. Still, there were not many options for healthy food restaurants in Pristina, until “Green& Protein” opened. Located in the heart of the city, it offers a rich menu that includes vegetarian and vegan meals, healthy snacks to take away, fresh salads and smoothies. The founder of “Green & Protein,” Mrs. Qëndresë Hoxha, tells us how she came up with the idea of creating such a helpful option for our community. She had visited healthy food restaurants in almost every place she had traveled around the world. Yet, this was missing in Pristina.The lack of healthy food in restaurants was a major issue, since Hoxha cooked and consumed for more than 10 years only those meals that were beneficial for

ASK OBSERVER her health, so she wanted to share this with the community. “Raw healthy foods are the key to have a healthy mind and body,” Hoxha added. And the end result is worth the effort. There are lots of customers, especially youngsters that Hoxha is very happy about serving. “I’m glad that the youth is aware of the food choices that they make.” On the other hand, customers seem to be satisfied after having a healthy meal at “Green & Protein.” “I come here very often and I really like the food. It’s very delicious. The service is great and the atmosphere nice as well,” said a customer. “I usually get a smoothie on my way to school. It is always fresh and gives me a lot of energy for the day,” said Alba Ajdareviq, a student of ASK. Hoxha has a few tips for our readers, especially for the youth. “Taking into consideration the fact that your bodies are under development, you have to make smart choices when it comes to food,” started Hoxha. She proposes that the youth should try to eat healthy at least six times a week. Their plan should include at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, so they can get the needed vitamins and minerals. She is absolutely against strict diets to lose weight because they weaken the immune system and have lots of negative effects. It’s necessary to drink a lot of water throughout the day. From the relaxing colors of the décor to the healthy and delicious meals, “Green & Protein” invites you to give life in the healthy world a try.

Yll Avdiu