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The Council of the City of New York is pleased to honor the Republic of Kosovo
E diele, 22.03.2009, 01:01 AM
PROCLAMATION
The Council of the City of New York is pleased to honor the Republic of Kosovo, which today celebrates the first anniversary of its independence; and
WHEREAS: Kosovo is a sovereign nation in the Balkan region of Southeast Europe that has a population of roughly 2.2 million. The mountainous territory is largely rural but includes urban areas such as the capital city, Pristina, and the smaller towns of Prizren, Pec, and Mitrovica; and
WHEREAS: Kosovo has a rich history dating back to ancient times, when it was inhabited by the Thraco-Illyrian tribes. Over the centuries, it has been under the rule of the Roman, Byzantine, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Ottoman empires, and was ruled by the governments of Yugoslavia and Serbia through the 1990s; and
WHEREAS: Kosovo changed history - for its people and for the region - when on February 17, 2008, the Assembly of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia and established itself as a sovereign government. This marked the first time the Kosovar people enjoyed self-rule; and
WHEREAS: Previously, Kosovo was under the interim administration of the United Nations as a semi-autonomous province. The arrangement, made in 1999, gave the Kosovar people a measure of independence but did not satisfy their desire for self-determination; and
WHEREAS: In the days following Kosovo´s declaration of independence, the new nation was warmly welcomed into the international community with formal recognitions by the United States, Albania, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and 48 other nations; and
WHEREAS: News of Kosovo´s historic declaration electrified the Kosovar-American and Albanian-American populations of New York, where proud compatriots filled the streets of communities such as Pelham Parkway, Belmont, and Sunnyside to celebrate the momentous occasion; and
WHEREAS: The declaration marked Kosovo´s second attempt at establishing independence. The first, in 1990, laid the groundwork for the eventual success and brought about the leadership of Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, known as the "Father of Kosovar Independence"; and
WHEREAS: Dr. Rugova, who died in 2006, practiced a peaceful resistance that built international goodwill toward the plight of Kosovars and forged a strong and lasting relationship with the United States and major European nations; and
WHEREAS: Kosovo´s declaration of independence stands as an stirring reminder of the power of hope and perseverance in a people´s effort to chart their own destiny; now, therefore
BE IT KNOWN: That the Council of the City of New York joins the Albanian-American Society Foundation and all Kosovar- and Albanian-Americans throughout our City and State, in honoring
Kosovar Independence Day
Signed this 17th day of February in the year Two Thousand and Nine.
______________________________
JAMES VACCA
Council Member, 13th District
Bronx