Education
In this series of Global, we’ve been speaking with “Democracy First Responders” — the politicians, activists, government officials and everyday citizens who are working to respond to the COVID-19 crisis successfully and protect their country’s democratic institutions. Today, we’re taking you to Kosovo. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Kosovar government has struggled to meet the challenges of the pandemic, mismanaging both the country’s political and medical response. Ultimately, the government dissolved and a nationwide political crisis ensued. But in the midst of these crises, young people in Kosovo has stepped up. Enter our guest for today: Donjet Bislimi. Donjet is a physician, whose work has literally put him at the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. But in addition to that, Donjet is a young political leader committed to democratic governance in Kosovo. He’s the President of the Democratic Party of Kosovo’s youth wing. But before that, at the ripe old age of 23, Donjet was elected to the municipal assembly of Mitrovica in 2017. Since then, he’s been a champion for young people throughout Kosovo, helping the country’s next generation of democratic leaders. Global spoke with Donjet about his experience as a physician on the frontlines of a public health crisis, the government failure to manage the fallout of COVID-19 and his hopes for a more democratic future. This episode concludes our “Democracy First Responders” series. It’s been an honor to hear from the politicians, government officials and activists across the world who are proof of democracy’s strength in times of crisis.