Under the sounds of songs, recitations and children’s emotions, the traditional Abetare Festival was held in Mitrovica, bringing together students, teachers, and institutional representatives from Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia. The event highlighted the importance of the Albanian language and the Abetare as a symbol of knowledge, identity, and the unity of Albanians across all territories.

The chair of the Organizing Council for the Abetare Festival, Avni Rexha, said that this event has been organized for 14 years by the Ministry of Education.

“We are very happy to be part of the Abetare Festival today. The Ministry of Education and Science has been organizing this type of event for 14 consecutive years. We started in 2012, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Albania’s Independence, when we also drafted and approved the first joint Abetare between Kosovo and Albania. This promotion was held in the historic city of Prizren. From the very beginning, Albanian-inhabited areas outside the borders of the Republic of Kosovo have been included as well, such as the Republic of Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, and the Presevo Valley. Today we have students from Albania, North Macedonia, and official representatives of these institutions, whom we thank for their participation. I must also mention that representatives from the Preševo Valley were also invited today, but unfortunately they were not granted permission to cross the border and come to Mitrovica. We also wish them a happy Abetare Day,” Rexha said.

The Mayor of South Mitrovica, Faton Peci, said that Mitrovica is proudly hosting this event.

The Director of the Department of Pre-University Education at the Ministry of Education and Sport of Albania, Shkëlqim Akllaj, said that the Abetare Festival has special importance for national identity.

The representative from North Macedonia, Mjellma Gashi, said that the Albanian language remains the element that unites Albanians.

“It is language and blood that unite us all. Today we are gathered here to celebrate the most beautiful day, ‘Abetare Day’. This day marks the first step toward knowledge, toward the world of dreams and our pure culture. The Abetare is not just a book; it is the key that opens the doors of knowledge, it is the bridge that connects children with their mother tongue, with our history and our pure identity. Today in this celebration that unites all Albanian territories—not entirely, as some are missing—we are reminded that the Albanian language is one and indivisible, regardless of geographical borders. Dear students, you have learned your first letters, your first words, and today you have become part of a new world. You are our future, our hope, and our pride,” she said.

With childhood enthusiasm, the children shared their favorite letters, memories from their first days at school, and the poems they had learned, turning the celebration into a mosaic of joy and love for the Albanian language.

“My name is Rona Elezi and I am from Skopje. My favorite letter is ‘R’ because my name starts with it. My best friend is Una, while my closest classmate is Eidi. In first grade I learned letters, I learned to read, I learned numbers, I learned addition and subtraction,” she said for KosovaPress.

Smiling and full of emotion, Endit Rexhaj from Albania spoke to KosovaPress about his favorite letters and the challenges he faced while learning them in first grade.

“My name is Endit Rexhaj, I come from Albania. I liked the letter ‘A’ the most and the hardest was ‘Nj’. ‘I like walking slowly with grandma, seeing things like in a fairy tale, egg spots and beautiful flowers, like pebbles with butterflies, how lucky I am to have you, my dear Grandma,’” he said.

The celebration in Mitrovica left behind a warm and emotional atmosphere, where the written word and the Albanian language became a bridge connecting children with knowledge and tradition. The event concluded with the message that the Abetare remains an important first step in every albanian child’s educational journey and a symbol that unites generations of Albanians wherever they live.