Urime dhe Përshëndetje / Congratulations and Greetings
Eljesa Beka
Urime dhe Përshëndetje: A sociocultural analysis of radio greetings and the role of radio in Kosovo across three decades (1980-2000) is a publication that explores the social role of radio from the 1980s onwards, with a particular focus on the emotional dimension of song dedications on radio in Kosovo during the 1990s and 2000s. Birthday wishes, wedding greetings, anniversary messages, and other moments from everyday life were shared over the airwaves. Ordinary moments took on a ceremonial significance, while experiences that would otherwise remain within the private sphere became part of a shared public space. During periods of political unrest, war, displacement, and migration, radio became a bridge between people. Hearing someone’s name on the radio carried a particular kind of intimacy for those listening, wherever they might have been. The publication approaches these greetings as ways of expressing closeness and belonging, maintaining connections with one another, and participating in shared social life through radio.
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Programme
HS Fellowship
Timeline
02.02.2025
—06.09.2026
Mentors
Project Lead
Contributors
- Graphic Design: Nicolas Vallat
- Translation and editing: Florie Xhemajli
- Interview transcriptions: Donjet Behluli
- Research assistant: Tringa Sefedini
- Interviewees: Martin Çuni, Nexhmedin Ymeri, Feim Kurhasani, Esma Beka, Ylber Durmishi, Osman Goranci, Arben Fetoshi, Alush Baliqi, Skender Gola, Zeki Vehapi
Formats
Time
07.09.2026
Research materials
The research and creative process behind Eljesa Beka’s publication, Congratulations and Greetings draws on fieldwork, interviews, archival materials developed by the process of analysing and synthesising the research material and relevant literature.