Dua Lipa given Kosovo citizenship by president

Pop star Dua Lipa has been granted Kosovo citizenship in a ceremony hosted by President Vjosa Osmani.

The singer was born in London to Kosovan-Albanian parents, and she lived in the capital Pristina briefly from the age of 11 when her parents returned after Kosovo gained independence.

President Osmani said it was an “honour” granting Lipa with citizenship, hailing her as “one of the most iconic cultural figures in our country’s history”.

“Dua and Kosovo have always been inseparable. From the world’s biggest stages to the hearts of millions, she’s carried our story with strength, pride, and grace,” Osamni wrote in a post on X.

“Our gratitude is endless for everything Dua has done, and continues to do for Kosovo.”

“Kosovo’s gem – welcome back home,” she added in a separate post.

Lipa is currently in Kosovo for the three-day Sunny Hill Festival, which she headlined on Friday.

Lipa has often spoken of her love for the country, and set up a charity that focuses on helping vulnerable communities in Kosovo.

The Radical Optimism singer was greeted at the ceremony by a children’s choir, singing a rendition of her hit Levitating.

Also in attendance was UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves.

He posted a picture smiling alongside Lipa on X, and said the UK and Kosovo were proud to call the pop star “one of our own”.

Lipa now has citizenship for Britain, Albania and Kosovo.

She was granted Albanian citizenship in 2022 for promoting the country through her music and fame.

Lipa was also awarded the title of Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo by the president in 2022.

She said it was an “honour and a privilege to be able to represent my country all over the world and to continue my work and efforts globally”.

Lipa is currently in Kosovo for the Sunny Hill Festival. She established the music event in her parents’ hometown with her father in 2018.

The festival, she explained last year, was set up “to change the rhetoric of what people think about Kosovo and it being war-torn”.

After her performance on Friday, she wrote on Instagram: “Sharing this night with you all, in the city that shaped me, surrounded by so much energy, joy, and pride… it’s hard to put into words what it means.”