Ilir Qorri grew up with the sounds of the violin, which he already fondly remembers from his grandfather.
The young man who belongs to the Egyptian community says that he has decided to follow his talent, inherited from his grandfather.
"After a few years, I enrolled in the primary music school, where I spent three years. But I couldn’t continue with my grandfather's instrument, to inherit it. I continued on another instrument, which is called the double bass instrument... It is a rare instrument, which has already started to be used more in Kosovo. Of the community, I am the only one currently studying this instrument. I started primary school for the double bass instrument, I completed three years of primary school, then three years of secondary school and now I am currently studying at the Faculty of Arts "Haxhi Zeka" in Peja for the same instrument", he said.In addition to double bass, he also knows how to play the guitar.
He always enjoyed the support of his family, relatives, and the professors. Inevitably, he also remembers the challenges, which he finds difficult to forget. As he talks about the discrimination he has faced, he asks the institutions for support for the communities.
"The challenges have been different. In elementary school and high school, the challenges were a little bigger than now. It is understood that to achieve a greater goal, a more successful achievement, the challenges are greater. The biggest challenge for me has been securing this musical instrument. Because it is a very expensive instrument, an instrument which is unfortunately not found in Kosovo and must be provided by other countries... When I was in high school, I was discriminated against by a professor, if the other students wanted to get a higher grade they needed 10 points, but I had to have 20 points to get the same grade as the other students. This is what I saw”, he said.Gynesh Veshall also grew up in a family of artists, who has been active in the amateur theater named "Nexhip Menekshe" in Prizren for eight years now.
The 23-year-old who belongs to the Roma community has participated in more than 10 dramas.
"Given that each life process has its own challenges, normally being a Roma theater artist in "Nexhip Menekshe" had its own challenges, one of which was that we are a small number of girls. My colleague and I have to represent a large number of other girls, but there are other challenges. But besides them, it gives you the best emotions in the world.Despite the challenges, she invites all the girls of the Roma community to become part of the theater named after her uncle, which she also considers a cultural asset.
"In general, normally, it is one of the things that a girl from the community or a person from the community in Kosovo definitely encounters. But not in the theater... (My dream) To be the voice of the girls and women of the Roma community, to always help and support the "Nexhip Menekshe" theater, as an asset of the Roma community and Roma culture", she said.
Ergjan Mehmeti is an actor from the Ashkali community, he says that since childhood he has liked various games and professions. Whereas, later he realized that he should become an actor."Always, every actor has his own challenges, also I, as a young artist, always have challenges, especially in financial matters, the issue of promotion, but thanks to the people who wanted to help me and have helped me even today, I am a part of some projects that are already active in Kosovo... young people should follow their dreams, they should listen to their heart and do whatever they want, don't listen to other people but let them do what they want do, and never give up the things they like", he said, adding that Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian committees face challenges and discrimination.
"Even since I was a child, I was discriminated against by my classmates, by people at school, but with the help of my parents, I have always overcome it, and my focus has been that I, as a young person, study, follow my dream and to become an actor", he said.
The project "Media education against disinformation for non-majority communities in Kosovo" is supported by the US Embassy in Prishtina.
