Exhibition “Lobbying Through Sports” opens

Fifty photographs documenting Kosovo's journey toward membership in UEFA and FIFA were displayed in the exhibition titled “The History and Promotion of Kosovo’s Acceptance in International Sports Through the Camera Lens” by author Blerim Uka, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

The photographs, spanning the period from 2005 to the present, illustrate the challenges faced by Kosovo’s football community, particularly in the post-war years, leading up to its eventual recognition.

Blerim Uka, the photographer, emphasized how he used his work to advocate for Kosovo's membership in international sports organizations during the difficult years following the war.
"In those early post-war years, despite the tough conditions, I started photographing football matches with clubs like Llapi and Drenica. Loving football as I did, I used my photos to lobby for Kosovo’s acceptance, especially after independence, with just a ball, a kit, and my camera," said Uka.

He recalled one of his most famous photographs that garnered significant attention in global media.
“It’s this Croatian man here holding a sign saying, ‘Accept Kosovo in UEFA.’ I had a Kosovo scarf, which he took from me at that moment. I also had 20 footballs and a small pump. I inflated one ball and a photographer from the global agency AFP captured it. At the time, we didn’t have internet on our phones, but when I got to the stadium, I saw that NCC, BBC, and many other global media outlets were covering it. The Croatian fans were calling for Kosovo’s acceptance,” Uka recounted.

The exhibition’s opening was praised by Eroll Salihu, the former Secretary of the Football Federation of Kosovo.
“It is often said that a photograph speaks for itself, and it’s true. These images cannot disappear or be forgotten. They are a vital part of the process that led to the Football Federation of Kosovo’s acceptance into UEFA, and later FIFA. I am glad that all of you in the media were part of this journey, along with the federations and the state,” Salihu stated.

The opening event also brought together notable figures from local sports, politics, and the Ministry of Sports, highlighting the importance of this milestone in Kosovo's sporting history.