ADVERTISEMENT Pop royalty Dua Lipa has been granted Kosovan citizenship.
During a ceremony hosted by the country’s president Vjosa Osmani, the ‘Levitating’, ‘Houdini’ and ‘Dance The Night’ singer was officially named as a citizen of Kosovo. She was hailed by Osmani on Friday 1 August as “one of the most iconic cultural figures in our country’s history”.
Osmani added: “Dua and Kosovo have always been inseparable. From the world’s biggest stages to the hearts of millions, she’s carried our story with strength, pride, and grace. Our gratitude is endless for everything Dua has done, and continues to do for Kosovo.”
Also in attendance was UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves – as well as a group of children dressed in white singing her hit single ‘Levitating’.
In a statement, Lipa said “it feels like my two sides are now one,” adding: “It completes the duality I have always had within. I love this country and this means so much to me and my family.”
The singer was born in London to Kosovan-Albanian parents and lived in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, between the ages of 11 and 15.
She is now a citizen of the UK, Albania and Kosovo – as Lipa was granted Albanian citizenship in 2022 for promoting the country through her career.
Lipa was in Kosovo following her headline slot at the Sunny Hill Festival, which she established with her father in 2018.
After her performance on Friday, she wrote on Instagram: “Sharing this night with you all, in the city that shaped me, surrounded by so much energy, joy, and pride… it’s hard to put into words what it means.”
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and Serbia refuses to recognise the country. It has been recognised by the UK, US and the other G7 nations – although not Spain or Greece.
In other news, Dua Lipa added her name to a list of other artists and celebrities who hit out at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s response to an open letter that called for the end of “UK complicity in Gaza.”
The refugee charity Choose Love put forward the request that UK arms sales to Israel be immediately suspended and that the government commit to seeking a ceasefire for “the children of Gaza” in May.
The letter was backed by Lipa, Massive Attack, Riz Ahmed, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Cumberbatch and many more.
On 10 July, Starmer responded to the letter, saying the UK Government has “made it clear to the Government of Israel that the level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable.” He added: “It is also wholly inadequate that the Government of Israel is only allowing a basic quantity of food into Gaza.”
On 31 July, Choose Love issued a response to Starmer, saying his reply “does not meet the urgency or clarity this moment demands,” adding: “We need actions not words.”
“Prime Minister, you’ve built your career as a human rights lawyer, defending the powerless and challenging injustice,” the letter continues. “In years to come, when you are asked whether you have done enough, what will you say?”
You can read the full response here.
The UN has found Israel’s military actions to be consistent with genocide, even if the state of Israel denies accusations of genocide and war crimes.
