“To ensure lasting peace in the Balkans, we must create a solid foundation of historical truth documented with professional and internationally accepted methodologies.” This was stated at the first scientific conference on crimes committed during the Kosovo war, which aims to raise global awareness of the consequences of the war in Kosovo and the necessity for justice for the victims.

This conference, which was also held in the framework of Kosovo's Independence Day, aims to document all the crimes that occurred during the war in Kosovo.

Also participating in this event was the country's Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, who declared that the state of Kosovo remains steadfast in uncovering the truth, preserving collective memory, and guaranteeing that justice will be served.

"Crimes cannot remain silent or be covered with oblivion. Therefore, we are continuing to speak, write and testify, until every crime is documented, punished, until every victim has justice. The state of Kosovo remains steadfast in uncovering the truth, preserving collective memory and guaranteeing that justice will be served," said Kurti.

The executive director of this institute, Atdhe Hetemi, while highlighting the importance of documenting and researching the crimes committed during the war in Kosovo, considered this conference an important step in this direction. He emphasized that the opening of the event on February 17, Kosovo's independence day, was not a coincidence, but a desire to remind that documenting war crimes not only strengthens the legitimacy of Kosovo's statehood, but also sends a clear message about the necessity of recognizing and empowering Kosovo in the international arena.

The Rector of the University of Pristina, Arben Hajrullahu, has emphasized the importance of cooperation with the War Crimes Institute. He emphasized that documenting war crimes and preserving historical truth are necessary to ensure a lasting peace in the region.

Dr. Aidan Hehir from the University of Westminster said that this conference is an important step in efforts to preserve Kosovo's historical memory and to ensure justice for the victims of the war. He added that this serves as a starting point for further research and will help support the recognition and strengthening of Kosovo's statehood at the international level.

17 years ago, at exactly 15:39 PM, the declaration of Kosovo's independence was made in a session of the Kosovo Assembly.

The historic session was attended by 109 out of 120 members of parliament, who also signed the Declaration of Independence of Kosovo. Serbian members of parliament were not present at this session. The declaration of independence of Kosovo was made by the then Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi.