Dua Lipa Granted Kosovo Citizenship in Presidential Ceremony

The BBC has opened its article dedicated to the world-famous singer from Kosovo, Dua Lipa, with the ceremony organized by the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, in which Lipa was granted Kosovo citizenship, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

The pop music star said she “feels like both sides of me are now one” after being given Kosovo citizenship.

The singer was born in London to Kosovo-Albanian parents and lived in the capital, Pristina, for a short time from the age of 11, when her parents returned after Kosovo declared independence.

President Osmani, who hosted the ceremony, said it was an “honor” to grant Lipa citizenship, calling her “one of the most iconic cultural figures in the history of our country.”

In a statement, Lipa added: “This completes the duality I have always felt within me. I love this country, and it means so much to me and my family.”

Sharing photos from the ceremony on X, Osmani wrote: “Dua and Kosovo have always been inseparable. From the biggest stages in the world to the hearts of millions, she has carried our story with strength, pride, and grace… Our gratitude is endless for all that Dua has done and continues to do for Kosovo.”

“Jewel of Kosovo — welcome home,” she added in a separate post.

Lipa is currently in Kosovo for the three-day Sunny Hill Festival, which she headlined on Friday.

She has often spoken about her love for the country and has founded a charitable organization focused on helping vulnerable communities in Kosovo.

The “Radical Optimism” hitmaker was welcomed at the ceremony by a children’s choir singing her song “Levitating.”

Also in attendance was the UK’s ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, who posted a smiling photo with Lipa on X and said that both the United Kingdom and Kosovo were proud to call the pop star “one of our own.”

Lipa now holds citizenship of Britain, Albania, and Kosovo. She was granted Albanian citizenship in 2022 for promoting the country through her music and fame.

She was also awarded the title of Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo by the president in 2022, saying it was an “honor and privilege to be able to represent my country all over the world and to continue my work and efforts globally.”

Following her Sunny Hill Festival performance on Friday, she wrote on Instagram: “Sharing this night with you all, in the city that shaped me, surrounded by so much energy, joy, and pride… it’s hard to put into words what this means.”

She founded the music event in her parents’ hometown with her father in 2018, explaining last year that the festival was created “to change the narrative of what people think about Kosovo and the fact that it is war-torn.”

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after years of strained relations between the two.

It is recognized by the United Kingdom, the United States, other G7 countries, and most EU member states, though not by Spain or Greece. Serbia refuses to recognize it, as do most Serbs within Kosovo. Russia, China, and several African and Latin American countries also do not recognize its independence, the BBC reports.