The Republic of Kosovo is a partially-recognized state and disputed territory at the heart of the Balkans in South-eastern Europe.
In the middle ages, control of the region of Kosovo passed between the Bulgarians, the Byzantine and the Serbian Empire.
In June 1389, the Battle of Kosovo resulted in Kosovo becoming part of the Ottoman Empire for the next 500 years, forever changing the ethnic balance in Kosovo.
Following their defeat in the Balkan Wars in 1912, the Ottomans ceded Kosovo to Serbia and Montenegro under the Treaty of London.
After World War II, Kosovo became part of Yugoslavia as an autonomous region with Serbia. With the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1991, tensions grew between Albanian and Serbian ethnic groups in Kosovo, leading to the Kosovo War in 1998 and UN intervention.
On February 17th 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia. Serbia saw this declaration as illegal and while they have recently accepted the institutions of Kosovo, they still regard it as an autonomous region with Serbia. Kosovo is recognized as an independent state by 103 out of 193 United Nations member states.
Even though Kosovo is not a member of the European Union, the official currency is the Euro.
People from all around the region visit the Newborn Monument, an award-winning typographic sculpture created to mark Kosovo’s independence. Traditional musicians can be found everywhere throughout the festivities, as music is central to the festivities. Because more than 90% of Kosovars are ethnic Albanians, Kosovo’s music is heavily inspired by Albanian music.