A group of leaders from Kosovo were in Utah last week learning about the state’s efforts in the renewable energy sector. Hosted by the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, the group was sent to Utah by the Open World Leadership Center, an agency of the U.S. Congress, and were in the state June 7-15. The delegation consisted of five professionals and were accompanied by a bicultural facilitator and an interpreter.
Prior to their arrival in Utah, the participants completed an orientation in Washington, D.C. Delegates had policy meetings with members of Congress, including the office of U.S. Congressman Chris Stewart representing Utah’s 2nd District.
While in Utah, delegates experienced Utah-based expertise in integrating renewable energy into the mainstream power supply. Delegates met with Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and state elected officials serving on the Public Utilities, Energy and Technology Interim Committee. Additional activities included meetings with Utah’s renewable energy leaders such as Rocky Mountain Power, Heal Utah, Utah Clean Energy and Citizen’s Climate Lobby.
More than 28,000 current and future leaders from post-Soviet-era countries have participated in the Open World program. Open World offers exchange programs to promote mutually beneficial options for depolarized engagement between future national leaders, according to a news release from the center.
Kosovar leaders in the delegation included Dardan Abazi, researcher and program manager, Kosovo Institute for Development Policy; Kerolinda Blakaj, engineer for market operation, Kosovo energy company KOSTT; Kushtrim Krasniqi, operative national dispatcher, KOSTT; Rina Lluka, senior officer for energy systems, Kosovo Ministry of Economic Development; and Arta Isufi, energy supply and market structure analyst, Kosovo Energy Regulatory Office.
The Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy works with the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program and other exchange programs to welcome hundreds of emerging leaders from around the world to Utah each year to meet with like-minded professionals, businesses, government agencies and organizations to exchange best practices and create networks while experiencing Utah’s culture.