Urime dhe Përshëndetje
Eljesa Beka
07.09.2026 (Monday)
19:00h
Kino Armata
“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 since the 1980s and the emotional significance of radio song dedications in Kosovo during the 1990s and 2000s. Through radio broadcasts, people sent greetings for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and many other moments from everyday life. Ordinary moments took on a ceremonial character, while private feelings became part of a shared public space.
During periods of political turmoil, war, displacement, and migration, radio became a bridge connecting people. Hearing someone's name mentioned on the radio carried a unique sense of intimacy for someone, somewhere, who was listening. The publication examines these greetings as expressions of closeness and belonging, as ways of maintaining social bonds, and as forms of participating in a shared collective life through radio.
Eljesa Beka is a multidisciplinary artist from Prishtina, based in Berlin, working across sound, music, film, and literature. With a background in sociology, her practice explores the relationship between culture, memory, sound, and collective experience, addressing themes of identity, belonging, communication, and everyday practices. She often situates personal narratives within broader historical and social contexts.