Instant-Coverage at the Kosovo Peace and Democracy Summit 2025

For the Kosovo Peace and Democracy Summit 2025 (KPDS) in Pristina, I once again provided Instant-Coverage for the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO), supporting the event as part of a pilot communication project focused on real-time storytelling in sensitive peace and democracy contexts.
The Summit was hosted by New Social Initiative, sbunker, and EPLO member Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS), in cooperation with CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation. Over two days, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers from across the Western Balkans and beyond came together to address disinformation, democratic erosion, and the pressures shaping peacebuilding efforts in the region.

​First instant-video – Setting the scene in Pristina

The first instant-video was published during the morning of Day 1 and focused on setting the scene at the Kosovo Peace and Democracy Summit.
In this video, EPLO colleague Dearbhaile O’Callaghan introduced the opening discussions, which examined:

• Rising ethno-political radicalisation
  
• Regional security dilemmas
  
• The impact of disinformation and malign narratives on public trust and democratic resilience
  

The video served as a real-time entry point into the Summit, giving EPLO’s audience immediate insight into the themes shaping the discussions from the very start.

Second instant-video – Reflections at the end of the day

The second instant-video, published at the end of the day, shifted focus from overview to reflection.
In short interviews, Mentor Vrajolli (KCSS), Jovana Radosavljevic (New Social Initiative), and Stephen B. Heintz (Rockefeller Brothers Fund) shared takeaways from the afternoon sessions. The conversations centred on:

• Civil society engagement with the UN Peacebuilding Architecture
  
• Meaningful participation and representation
  
• The Western Balkans’ path toward the EU’s 2030 integration horizon and the risks of political and societal fragmentation
  

This end-of-day format captured not just what was discussed, but why it matters for future cooperation in the region.

​Wrap-up video – Context, continuity, and democratic resilience

The wrap-up video, released about a week later, brought together the broader narrative of the Summit.
It combined reflections from:

• Mentor Vrajolli (KCSS)
  
• Jovana Radosavljevic (New Social Initiative)
  
• Bardhi Bakija (sbunker)
  
• Steve O’Malley (UN Development Coordinator in Kosovo)
  
• Stephen B. Heintz (Rockefeller Brothers Fund)
  

The video focused on how disinformation, polarisation, and declining public trust are affecting democratic life in Kosovo and the wider Western Balkans — and what this means for peacebuilding, democratic resilience, and regional cooperation moving forward.