KOSOVO – A STRONG VOICE IN THE WORLD MEMORY OF ROAD TRAFFIC VICTIMS

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2025 – “Lost Talents”

The end of life on the road, because of an accident, is the beginning of a pain that never ends. It is a pain that touches the heart of a family, but echoes throughout society.

When a life is lost in traffic, talent is lost, a person with dreams is lost, an idea and potential is lost. A smile turns into oil, a dream into a memory, and an opportunity for contribution and benefit turns into an obstacle and loss for everyone.

After every lost life, there remains a void that not even time can fill, but there arises a powerful call for action, so that tragedies are not repeated.

In 2015, Kosovo, a small country in the heart of the Balkans, joined a major global cause for the first time, the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

In this decade (2015–2025), Kosovo has made significant progress in road safety, marking a 12.5% reduction in the number of victims. This progress represents ¼ of the United Nations global target, which aims to reduce road traffic fatalities by 50% by 2030. When this day was first marked in Kosovo in 2015, 112 people had lost their lives on Kosovo’s roads. Today, in 2025, on the tenth anniversary of our efforts, the number of victims is 12.5% lower, 13 more lives saved. These are figures that speak of hope, of progress and of the possibility of achieving the global target.

According to the official Report of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community for the Western Balkan countries, Kosovo has a rate of 5.4 victims per 100,000 inhabitants, which is significantly lower than the average rate for the region.

Kosovo proves that with commitment, education and cooperation, any country, no matter how small, can make a big difference.

A memory that unites

Since 2015, through the Kosovo Association of Motorization AMRKS, a member of FEVR, together with Tempulli College and the Institute for Road Safety and Transport Research, Kosovo has become an active part of the global network of remembrance and commitment to life. Every year, in cooperation with state institutions, especially the Kosovo Police, with civil society and international partners, this day is marked with commemorative ceremonies, conferences and awareness campaigns that aim to remember the victims and prevent new tragedies.

Kosovo's Lost Talents

In Kosovo, which is the birthplace and growth of world-class talents in art, music and sports, this day is not just a statistic but a moment of human reflection. We remember the names, ages and interrupted dreams of those whose lives were cut short! Many of them were young, with ideas, passion and vision and extraordinary potential. Our loved ones who lost their lives in road accidents are the “Kosovo's Lost Talents”, their voices and smiles are missing, but their messages that “Every life has value”, “Every loss teaches a lesson”, and “Every memory is a call to action”, will live forever.

Kosovo's message to the world

“Even in a small country like Kosovo, each life carries the weight of the world. We know that road safety is not just a matter of infrastructure, but it is a matter of culture, education and love for life”.

Prof. Dr. Muhamed Krasniqi, Kosovo Delegate to FEVR