“You’re never too young to lead and bring justice”
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On International Day for the Girl Child, a visually compelling art mural stamps young women’s dreams and hopes on Pristina’s walls.
On 11 October, to celebrate International Day of the Girl Child in Kosovo[1], the mural painting Stamp it! was unveiled at the University of Pristina Student Center – and later that evening screened in bright lights on the sides of a government building on Skanderberg Square, Pristina’s main square.
Supported by UN Women, Stamp it! showcased the dreams, ambitions and potential of girls in Kosovo – and invited them to be present in public spaces, participate in shaping the present, and symbolically stamp an equal future for them and future generations.
Using as a start point the stamped words “You’re never too young to lead and bring justice” by conceptual artist, activist and mural creator Alketa Xhafa-Mripa, Stamp it! is an inspirational stamped collage of quotes from girls across Kosovo completing the phrase, “You are never too young to…”.
Women and girls expressing themselves in the form of mural art in Pristina. Photo: UN Women Kosovo
“We are used to seeing the stamp in the hands of mainly male decision makers, but now, we girls have taken the stamp in our hands, and we are claiming our space,” explained Xhafa-Mripa.
Stamp it! gave young Kosovo women and girls a chance to stand up for their rights and tackle urgent issues ranging from a lack of girls in decision-making, to dreaming big and living together in peace.
Each 11 October, the International Day of the Girl Child celebrates achievements by girls around the world and recognizes their rights and the unique challenges they face. This year’s global theme was GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable.
After a UN Women-organized workshop where the artist and young women discussed how to shape the mural, the best of hundreds of quotes sent from all around Kosovo were selected for Stamp it!
At the opening ceremony for the mural, UN Development Coordinator Ulrika Richardson explained why Stamp it! was important: “This mural is what young Kosovo girls see in their future. These are dreams and hopes that will become reality. This piece of art will not only be words on a wall but your commitments for your own future.”
Stamp it! was organised as part of the joint project, Empowering Youth for a Peaceful, Prosperous, and Sustainable Future in Kosovo, supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, and implemented by UN Women, UNDP, UN Volunteers and UNICEF.
[1] All references to Kosovo in this story shall be understood in full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)