Nick Sidleit's images bring Kosovo's colors of freedom and hope

In celebration of Kosovo Liberation Day, the documentary exhibition “KFOR and Kosovo +25” has opened, bringing to the public a human narrative of Kosovo in the first years after the war. Through the lens of British documentary photographer Nick Sidle, the exhibition unfolds a mosaic of images from the post-war period, documenting not only the engagement of KFOR peacekeeping forces, but also the daily lives of citizens who were trying to rebuild their lives after the war.

Taken more than a quarter of a century ago, in a Kosovo of peace, the photographs that documented the first days of freedom, hope, reconstruction, but also of uncertainty, have returned to the National Library of Kosovo. In celebration of Kosovo Liberation Day, the documentary exhibition “KFOR and Kosovo +25” has opened, bringing to the public a human narrative of Kosovo in the first years after the war.

Through the lens of British documentary photographer Nick Sidle, the exhibition unfolds a mosaic of images from that period, documenting not only the engagement of KFOR peacekeeping forces, but also the daily lives of citizens who were trying to rebuild their lives.

The exhibition was first presented in 2001 and has returned in a restored and expanded form.

It compiles photographs taken over a period of one year by Sidle, who had closely followed the activities of peacekeeping troops from nine different countries. But his focus is not only on the military aspect. The photographs show Serbian students accompanied by American soldiers to school, meetings of soldiers with residents in Bardhosh, visits to the Burica primary school, meetings with LDK representatives in Artana, arms control operations, distribution of humanitarian aid, border checkpoints, treatment of injured civilians, but also moments when soldiers engage in recreational activities with children in still fragile post-war circumstances.

The Director of the National Library of Kosovo, Blerina Rogova-Gaxha, said that the photographs are evidence of a crucial period for the country.

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"The photographs taken are a document and evidence of everyday life, they are hope as a testimony of uncertainty and evidence of the beginning of a new era for our country. They remind us that history is not always what is written in works, history is what is built with responsibility, which is gained by returning home, in waiting, in small meetings that carry the great weight of a nation," she said.

Acting Deputy Minister of Culture, Nora Arapi-Krasniqi, said the exhibition brings history through a human perspective.

"The true history of a people is preserved in the memory of the people and their experiences in the challenges they have gone through and in the hope that has sustained them even in the most difficult days. The exhibition 'KFOR and Kosovo +25', which is a continuation of the project launched in 2024, invites us precisely to this human perspective. It is not just a photographic document of a historical period, it is a living testimony of a new chapter for Kosovo told through the eyes of photographer Nick Sidle," she said.

The event at the National Library was special because it was held in parallel with one of the activities of the organization “Manchester City of Literature” in the British city. The exhibition “KFOR and Kosovo +25” was the activity held specifically to mark Kosovo Liberation Day on the 27th anniversary of the historical event.

The director of "Manchester City of Literature", Ivan Wadeson, said that the photographs carry messages that continue to be relevant today.

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“A story of community that transcends division and looks towards a better future. These photographs remind us that regardless of nationality, faith, culture or background, we are, first and foremost, human beings. They remind us of the importance of challenging prejudice, intolerance and hatred in all its forms. They remind us that every soul has different perspectives and that understanding begins when we listen to each other. Therefore, this exhibition is not just about history, but about welcome, empathy and kindness,” he said.

Speaking about the connection between Kosovo and Great Britain, Wadeson recalled the hospitality that the citizens of Manchester had offered to Albanian refugees during the war.

“In 1999, the people of Manchester demonstrated those values ​​by welcoming families fleeing the conflict. Some of those who have built new lives here are with us today and we are honoured by their presence. The next phase of this project will see the development of a permanent exhibition at the National Museum of Kosovo, incorporating the voices and experiences of those lives and those lives captured in images,” he said, adding that the project goes beyond historical documentation.

“The exhibition documents a unique moment in history. It tells the story of peacekeepers who helped bring security, stability to a country that had just emerged from conflict. But beyond this military history lies something even more powerful: a human story, a story of ordinary people rebuilding their lives in extraordinary circumstances. A story of resilience, courage and hope,” said Wadeson.

Lord George Robertson, former NATO Secretary General, who had supported the organization of the exhibition since its first presentation, said that the images project not only military and diplomatic victory.

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“The exhibition is encouraging, it is inspiring, it is educational and it is historical, and all people in principle, and indeed all people of Manchester and beyond, have much to learn from seeing this exhibition and understanding what the exhibits and the photographs really say. Because it sends out the very clear message that duty can triumph over evil and that Europe can step in to protect life and liberty, and that people of all ethnicities can live together with help,” he said.

Organized on Liberation Day, the exhibition of faces, places and moments documented by British photographer Nick Sidle unfolds images of the beginning of a new era. The project is expected to expand further towards the creation of a permanent exhibition with around two hundred photographs and a wider historical archive at the National Museum of Kosovo.