The Red Dress in the National Library of Kosovo
The Red Dress reached Kosovo last week and met 2 of its artisans (from Sister Stitch) in Podujevë. The Red Dress was exhibited alongside the work of Sister Stitch in the (monumental) National Library in the capital of Prishtina.
The Red Dress Project, conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod, provides an artistic platform for women around the world, many of whom are marginalized and live in poverty, to tell their personal stories through embroidery.
Fatima & Feride Halili stitched the beautiful ‘Birds of Peace’ panel for the dress in 2019. It symbolises the journey so many took as refugees fleeing to the mountains to avoid the war that destroyed so much of their homeland.
Now back in Kosovo as the nation continues to recover – a group of 20 women formed Sister Stitch, a business initiative supported by Manchester Aid to Kosovo to help the increased financial independence of women in difficulties.
MP Saranda Bogujevci wearing The Red Dress inside Kosovo Parliament.
MP Saranda Bogujevci and The Red Dress
Saranda is an important role model to the people of Kosovo and has been intrinsic in the country’s post-war recovery. She survived 16 bullets and lost 8 members of her immediate family including her mother and two brothers during a massacre carried out by Serbia during the brutal ethnic cleansing of ethnic Albanians in its then southern province in 1998-99.
Four years later when Saranda was 18, she and her three cousins became the first ethnic Albanians to testify before a Serbian court about the atrocities perpetrated by forces under Slobodan Milosevic. Thanks to their testimonies, several convictions followed.
Now at 35, Saranda is one of the change-makers in the country and is deputy head of Parliament. Although Kosovo’s patriarchal traditions are still strong, women are winning greater political representation in Kosovo – 43 seats in Parliament (36% of the chamber) are now held by women.
Strong, conscious and empowered, Saranda immediately connected to the Red Dress’s message and enjoyed seeing the work of Sister Stitch, who are from her home town of Podujëve.
Links:
https://reddressembroidery.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thereddress_embroidery/
https://www.facebook.com/thereddressembroidery/
https://makonline.org/
https://www.facebook.com/ManchesterAidToKosovo