In the week from 27-31 May 2024, our Academic Head of the International Center, Dr Soeren Keil, accompanied a group of 15 Syrian politicians and civil society activities during a study visit to Kosovo. The idea of the study visit was to examine Kosovo’s minority rights framework and assess Kosovo’s development in the last two decades – identifying any lessons Syria can learn from the process.

The study visit was organized with our partner, the European Center for Kurdish Studies, and included discussions with Kosovo academics, civil society representatives, a visit to the Ombudsperson Office and a day trip to Mitrovica, where participants saw for themselves how peacebuilding and reconciling a divided and fractured society remains an ongoing challenge.

Speakers from international organisations, including the Council of Europe and the OSCE highlighted how Kosovo has one of the best legal frameworks for the protection of non-majority communities, but that many provisions are not properly or only partially implemented. The Syrian representatives, in their reflections, highlighted the need for reconciliation and for proper implementation of any rights’ framework in a post-conflict society.