Vlera98

The most well-known Kosovars that have achieved specific goals , became successful people inside and outside Kosovo and contributed in making a change. Kosovars who have promoted their country through their work and help improve Kosovo's image. The hardworking people from different spheres and areas of life.

Fadil Berisha

Was born in 1973. He graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York to become one of the best professional photographers praised for his work by all who have worked with him.He’s been working in New York for the past 22 years. As a fashion photographer with extensive experience, he has worked with Avon, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, Nordstrom's and others for their catalogues.He has also worked for Rolex since 2007. His editorial work has appeared nationally and internationally in Elle, Vogue, Mademoiselle, Seventeen, People Magazine ("50 Most Beautiful"), YM, Vanity Fair, Glamour , Allure ,Cosmopolitan , Harpers Bazaar , GQ , Esquire and more. Mr. Berisha has had the pleasure of working with several celebrities including: Halle Berry, Tyra Banks, President Bill Clinton, Snoop Dog, Sugar Shane Mosley, Jennifer Beals, Beverly Johnson, Robert Evans, Jamie Lynn Sigler. He’s been working with the Miss Universe Organization shooting Miss Teen, Miss USA, and Miss Universe since 2002. Fadil has also appeared on several television network specials such as: MTV ("Made: The Making of a Model"), E! ("True Hollywood Story: Halle Berry"), ABC, NBC ("Extra"), The WB, and CBS. He has a personal studio in downtown Manhattan. In 1998 he traveled to Kosovo, where he spent most of his childhood , to witness the Kosovo War. He documented the tragedy in a series of photos later displaying them in the US to raise awareness of the devastation faced by the people of Kosovo. Later he created the Kosovo Relief Fund and now sponsors many of the new models and photographers from Albania and Kosovo . He launched EagleView to promote tourism in Kosovo, Albania and Macedonia.

Sislej Xhafa

Was born 1970. He is a contemporary artist based in New York. He left his homeland in 1988 for England, before moving to Florence to study at the Academy of Fine Arts. He is represented by GALLERIA CONTINUA San Gimignano / Beijing / Le Moulin and Christine König Galerie, Vienna. Xhafa is one of the artists to represent Italy at the Venice Biennale 2013. Xhafa is known for his artistic investigation into social, economical and political realities associated with the various complexities of modern society. His investigations, for example, into phenomena of tourism or forced illegality use a minimal language and they are also ironic and subversive, practicing indifferently a wide range of media, from sculpture to drawing, and performance to photography. In his works, whether they take the shape of photographs, videos, objects or performances, Xhafa frequently considers the itinerant lifestyle – not always adopted by choice – that led him to examine critically the social and political conditions of the various countries in which he has lived. Themes of human rights and migration are thus addressed via Xhafa’s own personal experience. Xhafa’s artistic research occupies a wide variety of issues, ranging from questioning the legal status Kosovo at the Venice Biennale to reflecting on the concept of security and stability with work exhibited in New York .

Rita Ora

Rita Ora

Was born in Prishtina on November 26th , 1990 and moved to the United Kingdom the same year of her birth . She grew up in West London and attended St Cuthbert with St Matthias CE Primary School in Earls Court, following which she graduated from Sylvia Young Theatre School and then St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College. She began singing at the age of six. In 2004, she appeared in the British film Spivs. Rita is proud of her ethnicity and says she wants to help put her hometown firmly on the map by recording her latest video in the city. After her video shooting of “ Shine Ya Light “ in Prishtina, on November 28th , 2012 she was given the title of Honoured Ambassador from the President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga . Ora had her first music release when she appeared on Craig David's track entitled "Awkward" and then again in 2008 on "Where's Your Love" featuring Tinchy Stryder, for which she also appears in the music video. Ora began singing in bars in and around London, and in 2009 A&R told Roc Nation about Ora, a few days after Ora flew out to New York and met Jay Z.

Behgjet Pacolli

Was born on 30 August 1951 in Marec, Prishtina. He has been engaged in many business activities over the years being the owner of companies such as Mabco Construction , Swiss Diamond Hotel, Corporation Interfin Finance, Mabetex International (located in 18 countries of the world), Insurance Company Siguria, Economic Bank ,Saranda Properties, Sine Tempore International, Travel Agency Diamond, Nuova Bernasconi – Lugano Main and board member of several others. But he also did charity work such as sponsor of Foundation Aleksandër Moisiu, Founder of Foundation and orphanage “Bambini Di Sakha”, Founder and Sponsor of the Hospital for housing and caring of abandoned children with physical problems in Sakha, In cooperation with the Foundation “Insieme per la pace" and Ms. Fanfani, intervenes massively to offer Aid in Kukës, Ivangrad, for the refugees from Kosovo, Support to hospitals in Kosovo with medical equipment, Founder of Foundation Ibrahim Kodra, Support for the establishment of KPC infrastructure in Prishtina and the contribution for its professional equipment, Support for building a Memorial Centre in Penuhë, Mediation for the release of hostages in Afghanistan (after tree weeks he successfully managed to release three hostages, UN employees, Shqipe Hebibi, Annete Flaninghan dhe Angjilito Najan, Mediation for the release of journalist taken hostage in Afghanistan, Gabrielle Torsello, Foundation Behgjet Pacolli, Prishtina (study scholarships, social assistance for people in need, building houses for the poor and other contributions in the social and cultural life), Contributed in mediation for the release of 23 Korean hostages in Afghanistan, Designer, sponsor and donor of all infrastructure of the American University in Kosovo AUK, Finance the construction and enlargement of the Philosophic University of Pristina, Finance the project for reconstruction and restoration of the Mosque of Llap in Prishtina, Sponsor of Sports and Culture in Kosovo, Full contribution for building shelters and houses for poor families(continuing), Support for sending patients abroad for medical treatment (continuing), Social Assistance to invalids and persons in need (monthly salary) (continuing). Lately he has also been lobbying for the recognition of Kosovo as the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo .

Arta Dobroshi

Was born October 2 1980 .She has been studying the performing arts since elementary school and attended the Academy of Arts acting and drama course in Prishtina, which lasted for four years. When Arta was fifteen, she went on a student exchange program to America where she took her first drama. As a teenager in Kosovo, the odds were stacked against her. After her first year at the academy, the Kosovo war escalated. During 1999 Dobroshi was in Macedonia where she was helping set up a refugee camp for the International Medical Corps, working with people who had been severely traumatized by the war . Later on she quit her job there, and became a translator for NATO. After the war period, she took roles in the local theaters and Albanian movies, as well as a leading role in a film about the situation in Albania in 1997, when it was rocked by unrest. Dobroshi is working on Nëna, with her director from Baby, Daniel Mulloy. The film is set in Kosovo's capital Prishtina. Nëna will see Arta Dobroshi accept her first role on her home soil for many years and also take part as a producer. She earned a "Best Actress" nomination at the European Film Awards in Cannes 2008. Her performance in Catherine Corsini's THREE WORLDS won her the The Barbara Tipple Best Actress Award at the Women's International Film & Television Showcase in Los Angeles 2012 and PriFest. On 22 December 2008, Dobroshi was appointed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a MDG Champion / Goodwill Ambassador for Kosovo. The UNDP were impressed by her previous charity work and believed that her high profile would help raise awareness on issues.

Visar Belegu

Moved to United States in 1993. He’s a professor and a doctor as well as the head of the Epigenetic and Pluripotent cells center near Kennedy Krieger Institute in Maryland. He has done a lot of research about Paralysis and healing of the Central Nervous System. He has earned many scholarships from National Institute of Health particularly from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, Maryland Technology Development Corporation, Brain Science Institute at John Hopkins as well as the American Defense Department. He was interviewed by VOA .In the future he hopes to be involved in the field of Cancer research. He is also a very active member of Society of Neuroscience .

Aida Bytyçi

Is a certified genetic counselor at the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine at Johns Hopkins University in the US. Her time is divided between providing genetic counseling to patients and working on several research projects, such as one attempting to sequence the whole human genome to identify genes responsible for inherited syndromes and health conditions. As a genetic counselor, Aida provides support and advice to patients and their families on the inheritance and consequences of the genetic disorder.

Kushtrim Ahmeti

is a student of dentistry and a grassroots activist, whose idea has taken Turkey and the world by storm. By realizing the power of sheer will when paired with creative solutions, Kushtrim Ahmeti managed to bring about a shift in the way which individuals view environmental conservation vis-à-vis assisting the less gifted. Through a multi-layered and human-oriented approach, his “Collect Plastic Caps to Support Disabled People” initiative has turned 235 thousand kilos of plastic into around 1200 wheelchairs.Currently, the initiative is expanding to 81 cities in Turkey and to 44 countries around the world. Now his project has been taken up by the American University in Kosovo(AUK).

Ibrahim Rugova

Ibrahim Rugova

Was born on December 2 , 1944 in Cerrcë near Burimi. Rugova graduated in the University of Prishtina. Also he spent a year in Paris at Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes under the supervision of professor Roland Barthes where he studied literature. He received his PDH in 1984 at the University of Prishtina . In 1996, he became a member of The Academy of Arts and Sciences of Kosovo. During the same year, he was selected as Honoured Doctor of the University of Paris VIII . In 1988 he was elected head of the Kosovo Writers’ Society, which was the centre of the anti-serbian movement in Kosovo. He was also one of the founders of the political party LDK ( Lidhja Demokratike e Kosovës ). In May 24th 1992, Rugova was elected President of The Republic of Kosovo, not recognized internationally at the time. Under his guidance, Kosovo built its own administrative structures, institutions of education and health while Rugova himself was involved in lobbying for the recognition of Kosovo. During the NATO airstrikes, Rugova moved to Prishtina and later on he was to meet with Slobodan Milošević on the serb television. In May 1999 he left to Italy to return in July after the war ended. In the elections organized by the temporary administrate of the United Nations, Rugova’s political party won the majority of the votes and he himself was elected prime minister of Kosovo in March 4th, 2002. At this position he continued the cooperative politics with the United States and European countries seeking the formal recognition of Kosovo. In 2005 he is re-elected prime minister. In September 5th 2005, Rugova announces that he suffers from lung cancer . However he continued his work as Kosovo’s President until his day of death in January 21st 2006 . He was given many prizes such as:

• 1995 – Peace Prize from the Paul Litzer Foundation, Danmark
• 1998- Sakharov Prize of the European Parliament
• 1999- Peace Prize of Munster City
• 2000- Peace Prize of the Democratic Union of Catalonia
• 2003- Honoured Senator of Europe
• 2004- Honorary Doctorate of the University of Tirana
• Honoured citizen of Venice, Milan and Brescia (Italy)

Rifat Latifi

Is a Professor of Clinical Surgery and Vice Chairman for International Relations, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona. He is a Director of the Telemedicine Program at the University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona, and the Associate Director of the Arizona Telemedicine Program where he leads Telesurgery and International Affairs. Dr. Latifi is a graduate of the Medical Faculty ofthe University of Prishtina in Prishtina, Kosova. He completed internships at the University Clinical Center of Kosova and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. He completed his residency in General Surgery at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, and a Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at New York Medical College.He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the International Virtual e‐Hospital (IVeH) and both the founder and director of the Telemedicine Program of Kosova (TPK) and the Southern Arizona Teletrauma and Telepresence (SATT) program at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona.Dr. Latifi specializes in trauma, general surgery, and critical care. Dr. Latifi served as the Medical Director of the Amazon Swim Virtual Medical Team during the Amazon Swim Expedition to provide telemedicine support to the expedition and to introduce telemedicine in the Amazon jungles of Peru and Brazil. He is the principal author of the strategy “Initiate-Build-Operate-Transfer” (IBOT) as a model to create a sustainable telemedicine program in the developing world.He has authored or co-authored 9 books and over 100 articles and book chapters in surgery, trauma, nutrition, laparoscopy and telemedicine. Two books on telemedicine are: Establishing Telemedicine in Developing Countries: From Inception to Implementation and Current Principles and Practices of Telemedicine and e‐Health. Dr. Latifi has been invited as a keynote speaker and has presented at several scientific meetings all over the world .