Lendrit Qeli: A Story of Perseverance
This is the story of Lendrit Qeli, a young member of the Kosovo Egyptian community from Gjakovë/Ðakovica. The story is part of a series of OSCE Mission in Kosovo articles on the struggles and achievements of successful individuals belonging to the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities in Kosovo. The OSCE Mission works with all communities in Kosovo to protect, promote and advance their rights.
Lendrit Qeli (29) sits opposite us in his office on the first floor of the municipal building in Rahovec/Orahovac, Western Kosovo, as we chat.
Lendrit works on issues related to the sustainable return and reintegration of returnees, repatriated persons, and displaced persons. As Head of the Municipal Office for Communities and Return, established in 2010, his job is to promote the rights and interests of different communities. All those trying to get back on their feet and start over. A job many would find difficult. But not Lendrit.
“I’m among the few who, despite encountering numerous obstacles, succeeded in finding employment in the municipal structures. Now my job is to be active and make a change. That’s why I’m here,” he says.
Lendrit is one of 15 civil servants from the Kosovo Egyptian community population of 11,600. The Law on Civil Service (2010) foresees that non-majority communities should hold a minimum of 10% of the government-level positions; while at municipal level, a number of positions should be proportional to the demographic composition in the given municipality.
Activism at a young age
At 16, Lendrit had an ambition to found a radio and TV programme dedicated to the Kosovo Egyptian community. After trying and failing to get support from Kosovo Egyptian political representatives, he took matters into his own hands.
“In 2006, I established the NGO Prosperiteti,” he says. “The idea behind it was to raise awareness among Kosovo Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian youth on the issues that these communities face”.
Lendrit explained that this was when he realized how challenging it was for a young Egyptian activist to approach municipal directors and officials in order to present project ideas. “One would think that setting up a meeting would be a fairly easy job, but it really was not,” he says. “My persistence and ‘never give up’ approach in the end got me a consultant position at the municipality of Gjakovë/Ðakovica. They saw my potential, I guess,” says Lendrit.
Becoming artistic director
Engagement with the community came in the form of theatre plays on the stage of the Gjakovë/Ðakovica municipal theatre.
“Despite initial reluctance from the theatre staff, young amateur actors from Kosovo Albanian, Ashkali, Egyptian, and Roma communities, and members of the NGO Prosperiteti, came together and started performing on the stage, turning it into a platform where the concerns of their communities could be voiced,” says Lendrit. “Gradually, we earned the trust and respect of the directorate of culture, youth and sport, and from the theatre director. It felt good.”
Lendrit explains how the process itself was not easy. “When we started, actors from Prosperiteti would perform on a voluntary basis. We agreed to donate the revenues of projects to finance the salaries of the theatre employees,” he says.
Few could have predicted that just a few years later, the brave 16 year-old boy knocking on municipal officers’ doors would become the artistic director of the cultural festival ‘Egyptian Week’ in Gjakovë/Ðakovica, which takes place every year in June.
“Maybe I was the one who believed the most in my potential. That’s what I say to others. Believe in yourself and never give up,” says Lendrit.
Ideas becoming reality
By 2013, Lendrit’s career was going well. Prosperiteti expanded to also become the first Egyptian-run online radio station in the Western Balkans, with Lendrit as executive director. The launch of the radio station was supported by two Italian organizations alongside the municipality of Gjakovë/Ðakovica.
The episodes from radio Prosperiteti are also broadcast on the local TV show Syri i Visionit. “Looking back I am very proud of what we achieved as a community,” says Lendrit.
“All this would not be possible without professional development,” says Lendrit. “I completed the OSCE’s professional programme which was an amazing opportunity. It helped me prepare and be confident to represent my community at local institutions. It helped me get elected as the community representative on the Communities Consultative Council within the Office of the President. It helped me reach my goals,” he says.
Raising awareness and breaking stereotypes
Be it on the stage of the municipal theatre, behind the microphone of radio Prosperiteti, or working on the programme he hosts Egyptian Spectrum, broadcast on RTK 1, Lendrit has consistently supported the Kosovo Egyptian community, and others, Kosovo-wide.
“I just wanted to tell the stories that are rarely told and to uncover issues that are commonplace within the non-majority communities in Kosovo,” he says.
Lendrit’s positive disposition and his pure determination serve to inspire action with each of his enterprises, reminding the Kosovo Egyptian community of a certain self-awareness that is hard earned only because of people like Lendrit.
“Breaking stereotypes and prejudices starts with changing the community attitude from the inside,” he says.
Before our conversation ended, Lendrit, law undergraduate and sociology postgraduate student, once more emphasized the importance of education.
“Without education there is no way forward, especially for minority communities. Well, for any community. Education and a bit of persistence is key”.