Prishtina has become the starting point of an important four-year project for gender equality in sports, following the meeting of the “Women and Sport” Commission of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games (ICMG), which is being held in the capital.
The Vice President of this commission, Rejhan Halili, told KosovaPress that this long-term project aims to promote and strengthen gender equality in sports across all ICMG member countries. According to her, the meeting in Prishtina serves to discuss the main points and steps for implementing this ambitious plan.
“Today we have gathered here and have started a project that will be developed over a long four-year period, focusing on gender equality in sports in the ICMG member countries. All members of the commission are present. Some are online while others are present in person, and we are discussing, going through the project and the main points that will be implemented,” Halili emphasized.
Halili highlighted that Kosovo’s outstanding success in women’s sports, especially in judo, has created a form of sports diplomacy that is facilitating the work of Kosovar sports officials on the international stage.
“Considering our gold-medal-winning judo athletes, Majlinda, Distria, Nora, Laura, who are shining on the international stage. Taking into account that Distria was ranked number one in the world. It is a great pleasure that we have something to showcase, and it is truly a privilege that they have already created a form of diplomacy that also makes our work easier internationally. This means that when you say you are from Kosovo, they immediately recognize that our flag is rising in judo, and I very much hope that this year we will have many athletes at the Mediterranean Games and return with gold, bronze, or even silver medals,” Halili stated.
Meanwhile, Hanish Sawsan, who comes from Libya and is one of the commission members, said she was impressed by what she saw in Kosovo, adding that she wishes all women in the world could achieve the successes that Kosovar girls have achieved in sports.
“I’m really surprised in Kosovo that the women are doing great.… But when I came here and we talked together in the community as well, I was no longer surprised because you have strong women here, a strong community, and the ladies work very hard. And as well, not just the lady, to be honest, even the head of the committee director and president—they have very good support. They give him the power to work, and they are right. So when you put a good president and a good worker, of course you’re not going to be surprised, because when you have the idea, you need support. So when you get the support, that’s all you need. The president and vice president say they are very proud of the women who have won medals, and I truly wish that all girls in the world, all women in the world, feel the same and achieve as much as the women of Kosovo,” Sawsan emphasized.
The presence of the Secretary General of the ICMG, Iakovos Filippousis, also gave special importance to this meeting. His support for Kosovo was described as very strong, and it was highlighted that he was one of the initiators for holding this meeting specifically in Prishtina. During his visit, Filippousis also delivered the official invitations for Kosovo’s participation in the “Taranto 2026” Mediterranean Games.
