The Iowa state senate awarded Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti the Iowa Outstanding Foreign Service Medal for leading “the resistance against the Milosevic regime and [contributing] to achieving the freedom of the people of Kosovo.”
Last week, Kurti was on a US tour where he met with members of the Albanian diaspora, local politicians and business leaders, including at Microsoft, Uber, and AirBnb.
During his visit to Iowa, the state Senate presented him with a Service Medal at the recommendation of Senator Zach Nunn.
Kurti was awarded a “Maltese cross for character endurance, decorated with the coat of arms of the state of Iowa and marked with Iowa’s reference point, the Capitol, symbolizing commitment to service.”
In their motivation for awarding the medal, the Senate cited Kurti’s commitment “to territorial integrity with NATO, to resisting Serbian attacks, and [helping] to rescue many Albanian families inside Kosovo.”
“His active commitment between Kosovo and Iowa, the security partnership with the Iowa National Guard and the Kosovo Security Force, as well as his commitment to Iowa’s efforts in support of Afghanistan and Ukraine, mark his meritorious commitment for international justice and peace,” reads the citation.
While in Iowa, Kurti also inaugurated a consular services office for Kosovo citizens.
