The Republic of Kosovo has been working towards peace the last several years, which is gratifying to an Emporia man who served as part of a peacekeeping mission in that country about 15 years ago.
Kansas Army National Guard Command Sergeant Major Steve Harmon served in Kosovo between 2004-2006. Kosovo has seen a lot of conflict dating back to at least the early 1100s, but Harmon says the current atmosphere is based more on negotiation than conflict. He says the National Guard’s role in Kosovo is a good example of a multinational partnership working together to both keep peace and also move towards peace.
Much like Afghanistan and Iraq, Kosovo is a “crossroads country” which draws regional or world powers together with clashing interests and often produces conflict as a result. Also, he says there has been a lot of anger and mistrust in the area based on the history, which dates back to 1102 when Croatia lost its independence and also to 1389, when the Ottoman Turks defeated Serbia at the Battle of Kosovo. Much of the conflict over the last 50 to 70 years has been interethnic between Albanian Muslims, who are the overwhelming majority, and Eastern Orthodox Serbs.
All Veterans Tribute activities continue with the Veterans Artist Exhibition at the Emporia Arts Center through Saturday. Veterans Day has a free drive-thru veterans breakfast at Presbyterian Manor at 7 am, followed by the annual parade on Commercial Street at 9:30 am and the memorial service at the All Veterans Memorial at 11 am. The Quilts of Gratitude ceremony will be from 10 am to noon at the Fairgrounds Anderson Building and will be a drive-thru format.
