Global pop icon Dua Lipa has been officially granted Kosovan citizenship. The honor, which she received in a special ceremony with President Vjosa Osmani, marks a full-circle journey for the singer who was born in London to Kosovan-Albanian parents and lived in Pristina, the capital, between the ages of 11 and 15. The ceremony, held while she was in the country to headline the Sunny Hill Festival, served as a powerful symbol of her enduring bond with her heritage.
The depth of this connection was underscored by President Osmani, who celebrated Lipa by stating, "Dua and Kosovo have always been inseparable." Osmani’s words captured the essence of Lipa’s impact, praising her for carrying "our story with strength, pride, and grace" from the world's biggest stages. This new citizenship is a formal recognition of a relationship that has long been a source of pride for the nation.
This recent honor is the latest in a series of accolades that have solidified Lipa's status as a champion for her homeland. In 2022, she was named an Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo, an "honour and a privilege," she said at the time, using the platform to advocate for the youth of Kosovo and their right to "visa liberalisation, freedom to travel and to dream big." Her commitment to the country was evident as far back as 2018, when she received the "first ever key to the city of Pristina" ahead of the inaugural Sunny Hill Festival. In a tweet, she wrote, "Thank you for your endless support." She now holds citizenship in three nations: the UK, Albania, and Kosovo, a unique status that reflects her global identity and diverse heritage.
Lipa has not shied away from using her platform for political and social causes. While she faced some controversy in 2020 for a tweet about the rights of indigenous Kosovar Albanians, she later clarified that the post was "never meant to incite any hate," rejecting the idea of ethnic separatism. More recently, she was among the celebrities who challenged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's response to an open letter calling for an end to "UK complicity" in Gaza. In a powerful message, she asked him, "In years to come, when you are asked whether you have done enough, what will you say?"
