01/12/2011

December 1st, 2011, Prishtinë/Pristina: Forum for Civic Initiatives (FIQ) in cooperation with the support from the Foundation Rockefeller Brothers Fund, FIDES Award 2011, award on philanthropy in Kosovo, at a ceremony held at Sheshi 21; for the third year in row. 
FIDES Award is a symbol of huge gratitude to companies and individuals who have supported activities and projects of common interest in a systematic and cautious manner.
Invited to this ceremony were representatives from diplomatic core, international organisations, parliamentary groups, mayors, domestic businessmen, humanists, distinguished charity activists and others.
Nazim Haliti, Executive Deputy Director of FIQ, made a speech welcoming all the participants and added that “FIQ with FIDES Award is putting in place a system for acknowledgement and gratefulness to those who dedicated their aid and support for the common good. I want to say that all this work were not a solemn ceremony as this one we are having tonight. It was not and it is not easy, because philanthropic spirit does not end with receiving of an acknowledgement. It was not easy also when we oftentimes contacted companies, explaining our noble intentions, also when facing their refusal or lack of trust”, he concluded.

Haki Abazi from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund stated that “this event helps in building and strengthening a system of values, which is the only way to ensure that Kosovar society will be able to overcome the trajectory of difficulties and create transparent institutions leading Kosovo towards the European family. 
FIDES Award 2011 for contribution at the national level was awarded to the following companies: Reiffeisen Bank in Kosovo, for its contribution to education, promoting competition and appreciation of quality in education; to ProCredit Bank for its supporting of marginalised categories in the society, and to IPKO Telecommunications for its contribution to dissemination of information technology, while  FIDES Award for contribution at the local level was awarded to the company Elektostublla from the Municipality of Viti for its contribution in support of community organisation and for improvements in the infrastructure. The FIDES Award for individual contribution from Diaspora “Anton Çetta”, was awarded to Ms. Melinda Rrahimi from Denmark for her contribution in supporting of social categories and schools in several municipalities and to Ms. Ylfete Fanaj from Switzerland for her contribution to social integration of our compatriots and foreigners in Switzerland, and this prize was awarded by the daughter of the well-known Albanian humanist Anton Çetta.
Academic Mark Krasniqi, awarded FIDES Award 2011 for contribution at the national level, and on this occasion, he stated that;From the Albanian people, from a noble family with moral and human altruism originates also Mother Theresa, the biggest humanist of XX century, a Nobel prize winner and spiritual mother of the entire world, especially of the poorest layers of the society, who has been proclaimed a saint by the Pope John Paul II, for her extremely human sacrifice.
While Prof. Dr. Nuri Bashota, on this occasion of awarding FIDES Award 2011, for contribution at the local level, he stated that it is of special importance for both our present and our great future to give publicity and a deserved place to great examples of domestic and international charitable and philanthropic people who contributed in overcoming difficult material and living conditions of citizens during this economic and social and moral crisis in which Kosovo has descended.