Curriculum PowerPoint matches 5th and 6th-grade standards. First-person resources copyright of Global Ties Akron Know Your Community Know Your World know-your-world.org

1. KOSOVO
KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY
KNOW YOUR WORLD
A PROGRAM OF GLOBAL TIES AKRON

2. Kosovo on the Map

3. KOSOVO
COMPARED TO
OHIO/US
Kosovo is slightly larger than
Delaware

4. Basic Information
Full name: Republic of Kosovo
Population: 1,964,327
Capital: Pristina
Largest city: Prishtina
Major language: Albanian and Serbian
Major religion: Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox
Life expectancy: male: 69.93 years, female: 74.54 years
Monetary unit: Euro
GPD per capita: $11,900

5. Significant Historical Events
● 12th
century: Kosovo is the center of the Serbian empire.
● 1389: Turkish troops defeat the armies of Kosovo and Serbia, seizing
control of the region.
● 1912: During the Balkan Wars, Serbia regains control of Kosovo from the
Turks.
● 1946: Kosovo becomes part of Yugoslavia.
● 1990: Albanian legislators declare Kosovo independent from Serbia.
● 1992: War erupts between ethnic groups.
● 1999: Nato intervenes to end the conflict.
● 2001: Kosovo holds its first election.
● 2006: A Serbian referendum declares that Kosovo is part of Serbia, Kosovo
later declares independence.

6. ● 2011: Serbia and Kosovo’s governments talk and arrange border-crossing
regulations.
● 2013 April: Kosovo and Serbia reach a landmark agreement on normalising
relations that grants a high degree of autonomy to Serb-majority areas in northern,
while both sides agree not to block each other's efforts to seek EU membership.
● 2017 September: Ramush Haradinaj is given task of forming new government,
ending months of political deadlock after elections in June..
● 2020 November: President Thaci resigns on learning that the Kosovo war crimes
tribunal in The Hague confirmed his indictment for war crimes. He is succeeded
by parliament speaker Vjosa Osmani in April 2021.
● 2022: Ethnic tensions rise amid the Kosovo government's aim of making those in
majority ethnic Serb areas swap their Serbian-issued car number plates for
Kosovan-issued ones.
● 2023: Tensions flared after Kosovo authorities ordered that ethnic Serbs in the
north may not enter Kosovo with Serbian issued IDs or license plates
○ Journalists continued to face attacks, harassment, and threats with a poor state
response.

7. Famous Landmarks
• Sinan Pasha Mosque
• Visoki Dečani
• Monastery of the Patriarchate of Peć
• Cathedral of Blessed Mother Teresa
• Newborn monument
• Field of Blackbirds
• Skanderbeg Statue

8. Languages
Hello: Përshëndetje
Bye: Mirupafshim
Yes: Po.
No: Jo
Thank you: Faleminderit
You’re Welcome: Je i mirëpritur
Please: Të lutem
I love you: Të dua
How are you?: Si jeni

9. Government
● Structure: Parliamentary Republic
● Composed of Executive branch, single house
legislature, and judicial branch
● Current President: Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu
● Prime Minister:Albin Kurti

10. Current Issues and Events
• Independence
• Gender Equality
• Serbian and Albanian ethnic relations
• Parliament protests
• War crimes trials

11. Economics
Currency: Euro
Main Exports:
● mining and processed metal products
● scrap metals
● leather products
● machinery
● appliances
● prepared foodstuffs
● beverages and tobacco
● vegetable products
● textiles and apparel

12. Economics cont.
Main imports:
● foodstuffs
● livestock
● wood, petroleum
● chemicals
● machinery
● minerals
● textiles
● stone
● ceramic and glass products
● electrical equipment

13. Everyday Life
● Children often have poor education and healthcare
● Children who live in poverty or have disabilities often struggle the most
● gender inequality is prevalent and prevents women from economic, political and social
opportunities
● children often attend pre-primary school but not early education programs

14. Marriage and Gender Roles
Bridal Face Painting
Traditionally, Men often wore a cone shaped hat called a Plis and either
white wool pants (Tirqe) or a skirt-like costume called a Fustanella and
women wear red head scarfs and skirts
Today, men and women are often dressed the same as in western
countries
While much has improved with gender roles and the patriarchal
traditions in kosovo, women still face the threat of domestic violence
before their wedding, women often have their face painted to prevent
bad luck
the golden circles represent the cycles of life, the red circles represent
fertility, and the red and blue dots guarantee a happy and healthy family

15. Holidays and Festivals
• Independence Day: February 17th
, Kosovars celebrate their autonomy.
• Orthodox Christmas Day and Easter Morning: The Orthodox church celebrates these holidays
according to the Julian calendar, so Christmas is January 7th
while the date of Easter varies each
year.
• Sugar Feast: At the end of a month of fasting, Muslims enjoy a sweet feast.
• Feast of Sacrifice: Muslims sacrifice an animal, such as a sheep, goat, or cow, in commemoration of
Abraham’s sacrifice of a ram to Allah.
• Constitution Day: April 9th
, the people of Kosovo celebrate the creation of their constitution.

16. Sports
Most Popular:
● Soccer
● Handball
● Volleyball
● Basketball

17. Food
• Flija (layered pie with yogurt filling).
• Raznjici (skewered meat).
• Hajvar (red pepper paste).
• Cevapcici (charcoal-grilled minced meat).
• Sarma or japrak (vine or cabbage leaves stuffed with
meat and rice).
• Pljeskavica (meat patties of beef and lamb).
• Llokuma (fried dough puffs served with yogurt and
garlic or honey)
(Adapted from worldtravelguide.net)

18. Sources and Links
• http://beinkosovo.com/
• http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18328859
• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-fa
ctbook/geos/kv.html
• http://www.mfa-ks.net/?page=2,1 (Kosovo’s ministry of
foreign affairs)
• http://www.kosovodiaspora.org
• https://www.rferl.org/a/kosovo-village-painted-
• https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2019/10
/your-take-my-take-womens-rights-in-kosovo
• https://www.unicef.org/kosovoprogramme/children-k
osovo