A special graduation ceremony was held at the British Gymnasium of Technology, where six 11th-grade students marched wearing ceremonial uniforms of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) veterans.
This event, organized for the first time in Kosovo at this high school, was supported by the gymnasium’s founder Muzafer Shala, while the concept of the ceremonial veteran uniforms was designed by former KLA officer Ferid Berisha, known as Commander “Shkupi.”
According to the organizers, the aim of the event was to promote patriotic values, preserve historical memory, and pass on a message of peace to younger generations.
Berisha said the project is intended to ensure that the legacy of veterans’ uniforms continues in the future.
“Veterans, as such, know what they have experienced and what they have done for the country. The presentation of veterans, or the veteran uniform, aims to strengthen awareness among young people, to increase patriotism and love. I believe other schools will also embrace this project because the goal is continuity of the veterans’ legacy even after there are no more veterans… We agreed that the students will have a name, and that name will be ‘Freedom Cadets’. They will represent the school; each school will have its own emblem and will be represented under the name ‘Freedom Cadets’. The special thing about this uniform is that they will wear a white beret, which represents peace. The students’ message is to represent peace,” he said.
He added that the students wearing these uniforms will be known as “Freedom Cadets.”
Meanwhile, Muzafer Shala said the idea came as a form of respect for Kosovo’s history and sacrifice for freedom.
“We have seen in many places that people march in military uniforms, there are cadets who demonstrate, especially in ceremonial parts where the anthem is played, and we thought about what would be best. There will never be KLA veterans again; there was only one generation. We decided that our students should march in veteran-style uniforms. They are not veterans, and we agreed with the creators of the KLA veteran uniform to use it here, where it says ‘Freedom Cadets’. They also have the school logo, and this is the only case where it is allowed by the creators for the veteran uniform to be used by someone who is not a veteran, only in a graduation ceremony,” he said.
He added that this practice will continue in future graduation ceremonies at the school.
Among the participating students was Sara Bulliqi, who described wearing the uniform as a special experience.
The ceremony was attended by KLA veterans, international guests, and public figures, while organizers said they aim to turn the “Freedom Cadets” concept into a tradition that preserves and promotes historical and national values among younger generations.
