The Republic of KOSOVO Delegation

It was an honor to help coordinate the visit of the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Her Excellency Vjosa Osmani, to Fort Worth.

A sitting head of state does not visit your city every day. The occasion was appropriately formal, although I still managed to “serious-face” my way into the background of a photograph with the president and ambassador.

The delegation’s visit to Bell included a helicopter tour of Fort Worth. In the Fort Worth Stockyards, Kristin Jaworski created a memorable red-carpet welcome that allowed our guests to experience a distinctive part of the city’s culture and identity.

Councilmembers Gyna Machelle Bivens, Alan Blaylock, and Carlos Flores provided important leadership in planning the exchange. I am also grateful to Ambassador Ilir Dugolli of the Embassy of Kosovo in Washington, D.C., for his friendship and partnership.

Members of the local Albanian diaspora community came out in force to support the delegation. Their presence demonstrated why international visits matter at the local level. A presidential meeting may attract attention, but the strongest relationships are sustained by residents who maintain cultural, family, educational, and business connections over time.

City diplomacy helps make national relationships personal. It gives international leaders an opportunity to encounter a community beyond formal policy discussions, and it allows residents to see how their own city participates in the wider world.

Fort Worth was proud to support this important partnership. The visit reinforced a lesson I have seen repeatedly through Sister Cities International: hospitality is not merely a courtesy. When it creates understanding and trust, it becomes a meaningful form of diplomacy.