Petrit Selimi

Petrit Selimi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 April 2016
Preceded by	Hashim Thaci
Personal details
Born	(1979-05-01) 1 May 1979 Pristina, SFR Yugoslavia (today Kosovo)
Nationality	Kosovan
Political party	Democratic Party of Kosovo
Spouse(s)	Arlinda Selimi
Children	Rrok Trim Selimi
Residence	Pristina, Kosovo
Alma mater	BA in Social Anthropoly from University of Oslo Master of Science in Media and Communication from London School of Economics ongoing.
Website	Petrit Selimi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Petrit Selimi (born 1 May 1979 in Pristina, Kosovo, then-SFR Yugoslavia) is a Kosovan politician, current Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo. He has served in the position of a Deputy Foreign Minister during two consecutive mandates, under Prime Ministers Hashim Thaci (2011–2014) and Isa Mustafa (2014-2016). After the election of the former Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci as a President of Kosovo, Selimi was named a Minister. He has initiated several noted initiatives including Kosovo's Digital Diplomacy program as well as Interfaith Kosovo initiative. Wired Magazine called Selimi "a pioneer in digital diplomacy." He was also selected as the "team-leader of the year 2013 in digital diplomacy" in the global survey by Turkish magazine Yeni Diplomasi. In recent press coverage in Huffington Post, Selimi was also noted as a prominent promoter of global interfaith dialogue.

Career

As a children's rights activist in his teens, Selimi in 1995 co-founded "Postpessimists", the first network of youth NGOs in the former Yugoslavia. The organization later won Global Youth Peace and Tolerance Award.

After finishing studies in Norway, Selimi returned to participate in various civic initiatives, serving as a member of the Board of Directors of Soros Foundation in Kosovo. He later helped found Balkan Children and Youth Foundation, serving for two terms as a member of the Board of Directors, alongside President Martti Ahtisaari, CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour and others.

Selimi was also one of the initial founders of the daily newspaper Express, serving as the first publishing director of this daily newspaper. In 2004 he co-founded Stripdepot, comics bookshop/cafe, situated in downtown Pristina.

Selimi worked as private public relations consultant in Kosovo, until June 2011, when he got appointed by the Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi as a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo.

Personal life

Petrit Selimi is married with Arlinda Selimi since 2010. They have a son Rrok Trim Selimi. They live and work in Pristina.

Awards

In 2016, Selimi won the prestigious global Doha Award for Interfaith Dialogue, in a ceremony organized by the Doha Internantional Center for Interfaith Dialogue. The Award was granted to Selimi by the Qatar Minister of Justice.

In 2014 Selimi was honored as Knight Commander of Royal order of Francis I, bestowed to him by Cardinal Martino of Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, for Selimi's role in promoting interfaith dialogue and tolerance.

In 2008 Selimi won a Chevening Scholarship from the British Council enabling him to undertake studies at London School of Economics.

External links

• Petrit Selimi on Twitter
• Profile of Petrit Selimi in Time Magazine 2005
• Petrit Selimi's columns in Daily Express
• Article on Selimi in Dutch webzine
• Interview with Selimi in Balkan Insight magazine, published by BIRN
• Interview with Selimi in Express daily newspaper
• Home page of the comic's inspired cafe, founded by Petrit Selimi
• Blog page of Petrit Selimi, in Kosovotwopointzero, Kosovo's blog generator

• http://www.dailytexanonline.com/content/obstacles-burden-new-kosovo-state-young-population