#S1EP15 - Should I stay or should I go?

#S1EP15 - Should I stay or should I go?

Author: Kosovo 2.0 May 11, 2023 Duration: 55:42
Besa Luci in conversation with Ilir Gashi and Aulonë Kadriu.In our last episode of the first season of Other Talking Points, we are revisiting the topic of travel.Not long ago, when we recorded our first episode, we talked about travel in the region and what it tells us about our shared past, our current sense of belonging and our understanding of one another. One aspect of the conversation was Kosovars' long isolation, a result of the EU’s visa regime. For years, practically the only places Kosovars could travel to without going through a dehumanizing visa application process were neighboring countries.Change seems to be underway. On April 18, the European Parliament decided to lift visa requirements for Kosovars starting in January 2024, nearly 15 years after other countries in the region were granted this right.What will Kosovars do come January? Will everyone leave? Who will stay? There are rising fears that young people will clear out as soon as they can. In advance, some are pleading for them to stay. In a recent blog call K2.0 asked young Kosovars the questions: What keeps you in Kosovo? Do we owe it to Kosovo to stay? Will travel start feeling more like a normal activity rather than an escape? In anticipation of the publication of these blogs in June, two guests joined us to discuss some of the responses we got from young Kosovars and also to explore our relationship to travel. Ilir Gashi works at the intersection of media, activism, art and technology. He was a guest in the first episode of Other Talking Points and he wrote an article last year for K2.0 titled “The Alternative Balkan Postal Service," which was recently shortlisted for the European Press Prize for Distinguished Reporting.Aulonë Kadriu is an editor at K2.0 and one of the producers of Other Talking Points. She was the author of "We are in a real ghetto," K2.0's investigation on visa processing, and is the lead editor on our recent blog call.Other Talking Points is produced by Besa Luci, Aulonë Kadriu and Gentiana Paçarizi. The show will resume in September. Make sure to follow K2.0 on social media or sign up for our newsletter to get all the updates. Music and sound mix by PUG musik.This podcast is part of the Human Rightivism project, which is funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Prishtina, implemented by the Community Development Fund through its Human Rightivism Program. The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Embassy of Sweden in Prishtina.

In each episode of Other Talking Points, a production of Kosovo 2.0, editor-in-chief Besa Luci sits down with a guest whose voice and work challenge conventional narratives. These are not hurried interviews but considered conversations, often meandering through personal history, creative process, and critical thought. You’ll hear from authors dissecting the narratives of place, scholars questioning entrenched ideas, artists explaining the impetus behind their work, and activists detailing the realities of their struggles. The guests hail primarily from Kosovo and the surrounding region, but the scope frequently widens to include compelling voices from across the globe, creating a unique dialogue between local context and wider currents of thought. This podcast operates in the spaces between news and commentary, offering depth and nuance where headlines often fall short. The aim is to move beyond the usual soundbites and talking points that dominate public discourse, hence the name. By focusing intently on an individual’s journey and intellectual contributions, each discussion naturally opens up to reveal new perspectives on politics, culture, society, and what it means to engage with the world thoughtfully. Listening feels like being present for a genuine exchange, one that prioritizes understanding over simple debate. It’s for anyone curious about the forces shaping contemporary life in Southeast Europe and beyond, delivered through the intimate, unfolding format that only a thoughtful podcast can provide. The result is a collection of episodes that together build a complex and human portrait of the issues that define our time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 23

Other Talking Points
Podcast Episodes
#S1EP2 - Trans lives [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:28
Besa Luci in conversation with Lura Limani and Aleksa Milanović.In this episode, we explore the lives and political struggles of trans people in the region, a particularly important topic considering that trans identitie…
#S1EP1 - Travel in the region [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:40
Besa Luci in conversation with Ilir Gashi and Driton Selmani.In this first episode, we explore the topic of travel in the region. Why and how do we travel? What does it tell us about our shared past, our current sense of…