0:00:08.040,0:00:12.270
Is time to talk about the main topic of Express.

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At the National Library of Kosovo

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days ago, an exhibition talking about

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everyday life in North Korea was open.

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We had a reportage about that,

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and we gave information about

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the content of this exhibition.

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But, we will talk again about this cultural

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event since it opened a big debate.

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Mainly because most of them were negative

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We will discuss them now in this talk.

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Photos are spreading in facebook pretending

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that the Library has replaced photographs

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of our Renaissance authors with those

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of the North Korean Leader.

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If these negative comments are righteous

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or is a total misunderstanding

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of the concept of the exhibition

0:01:01.417,0:01:03.747
will be discussed here today

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with our guest from the National Library

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Rudina Tahiraj.

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Welcome Rudina, welcome to Express

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Thank you for the invitation.

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Thank you too, for accepting our invitation

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to clarify this situation and the debate

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that probably you did not expect to happen.

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So Rudina let's talk again about

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what concerned the public

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about the last exhibition at the Library.

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What's about this exhibition?

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Thank you! Firstly because of

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the space you gave us to be here.

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Not because of our need to clarify anything

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because I think everything is already clear

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what the Library or the Author

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wanted to present in this exhibition.

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But most of all to add information

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where it's needed.

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For our public.

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So, the author is from Norway.

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and the exhibition is also supported by

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the Norwegian Embassy.

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The author himself was present at the opening

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He addressed the audience

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but probably he failed to explain

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the concept and idea behind the exhibition.

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I think that in general

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at the opening ceremonies

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explaining the concept is not the goal.

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I believe we live in a time

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when the concepts are given before.

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The Library and Traavik.Info already did it.

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The opening ceremony is a kind of party

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in our case, the artist Morten Traavik

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was there, the director of the Library

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Mr. Fazli Gajraku and also

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the Norwegian Ambassador.

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Said that the public had all the chances

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to see the full photographic installation

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and also a documentary film

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by Morten Traavik, done in the time

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he was in North Korea.

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What I want to stress is that

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Mr. Morten Traavik has a long and varied

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experience in North Korea.

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And he really knows their everyday life.

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Morten Traavik came in Kosovo

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to present who he perceives

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the everyday life in North Korea.

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In what he acknowledges as a dictatorship

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and isolation of a country

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in these modern times.

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As we talk you can see some footage

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from the exhibition

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there are people visiting it.

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With what you could see,

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was the public interested to see the exhibition

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even by curiosity after the comments

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and the debate started on Facebook?

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I want to say that unfortunately

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this was an exhibition which did not

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attract attention on an opening day,

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even thought it was well promoted.

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The media was not interested in it.

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They become interested in it,

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if I can call it like that,

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after individuals or different groups

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thought it was reasonable to talk

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about the exhibition or criticizing it.

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I think that to criticize an exhibition

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first, you have to be informed.

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All the background of the exhibition

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was available on different platforms.

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The concept of the author and also

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the content of the exhibition,

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all the information was there I think.

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And to create an idea or

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criticize another you have to visit the LIbrary.

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Exactly. Before we talk more about the concept

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of the exhibition, as you mentioned,

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to add more information about it.

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Now we will see an interview with

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the author of the exhibition done

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during the opening ceremony.

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I'm following up on the discussion

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where you left it, before the author's interview.

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Most of the people had spoken before

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actually seeing which were the photos

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exposed. They're focused on

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the image of the dictator, Kim.

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And probably just mentioning his name

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produces debate without having

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much information.

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Could you Rudina explain to us

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very shortly, since you represent the Library

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why was interesting for you to include

0:07:03.076,0:07:07.496
in your repertoire this exhibition.

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And also about the subject, it presents,

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why do you think it was important to share

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with the public?

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Morten Traavik this July submited

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a request to the Library

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to bring the exhibition Guardians of Paradise

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in Pristina.

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Apparently the National Library impressed

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him for its architecture

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and as a cult object and important object

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for the preservation of the cultural

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heritage and arts.

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In his request was clear all the background

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of the exhibition.

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Meaning that the exhibition

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Guardians of Paradise was premiered

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in Gjirokastra, at Kadare's House.

0:08:03.941,0:08:07.991
So, an exhibition depicting everyday life

0:08:07.991,0:08:11.881
in a totalitarian country like North Korea,

0:08:12.691,0:08:15.271
was shown in, as the author says,

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in the land where the dictator of Albania was born

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and at the same time Ismail Kadare.

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And because of him, Ismail Kadare,

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being an important figure for our culture,

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he decides to confront in this context

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a dictator like Kim of North Korea.

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The same happens in the National Library.

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According to his concept,

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he wants to confront these opposed figures.

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We are talking about the Albanian

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Renaissance authors, who prepared the

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the cultural path for Kosovo,

0:09:04.933,0:09:08.390
confronted with Kim.

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Father and son of North Korea.

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Obviously it depends on the public

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how to view it, even literaly

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this confrontation we did with Naim Frasheri

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or other Rennainssance authors with Kim.

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It is up to the public to see it as

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conjunction of figures

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or as space where opposed figures

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are confronted.

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And obviously this can arouse something

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to the population.

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I feel sorry it aroused only criticism

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but there is much more behind the figures

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and art than just the faces of people

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they represent.

0:10:00.520,0:10:04.520
It is not uncommon that artists use

0:10:04.520,0:10:08.520
their work to provoke debate, maybe this

0:10:08.520,0:10:14.242
was also the case of the Norwegian artist.

0:10:16.892,0:10:18.742
From the beginning

0:10:18.742,0:10:22.162
it was explained that the purpose

0:10:22.162,0:10:25.252
of this exhibition was not to promote

0:10:25.252,0:10:28.652
dictatorship but to show maybe

0:10:28.652,0:10:31.292
the opposite of what we are living,

0:10:31.292,0:10:35.410
to show the life in what we call dictatorship.

0:10:36.410,0:10:40.410
Did you think about the reactions

0:10:40.410,0:10:44.410
before opening the exhibition?

0:10:45.060,0:10:47.122
Did you predict it somehow this reaction?

0:10:47.882,0:10:51.422
I think is in the core of every art work,

0:10:51.422,0:10:54.122
of every photographic installation,

0:10:54.122,0:10:57.650
of every exhibition to tease the thinking

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but absolutely not to provoke the population.

0:11:00.917,0:11:04.437
The Library never attempted to provoke

0:11:04.437,0:11:07.437
or hurt its public.

0:11:08.917,0:11:12.917
Indeed we hoped for reactions

0:11:12.917,0:11:16.206
but for this kind of reactions,

0:11:16.206,0:11:18.205
we couldn't imagine.

0:11:18.916,0:11:20.826
What I want to emphasize again

0:11:20.826,0:11:22.260
is that the public

0:11:22.260,0:11:24.846
did not take sufficient information

0:11:24.846,0:11:27.426
about the content of the exhibition.

0:11:27.426,0:11:29.786
There is a quote by Milan Kundera in the

0:11:29.786,0:11:32.346
beginning of the exhibition which

0:11:32.346,0:11:34.656
eliminates 100% any allegation of the

0:11:34.656,0:11:36.646
the exhibition being a promotion

0:11:36.646,0:11:37.826
of dictatorship.

0:11:37.826,0:11:41.166
And then you have the photographs

0:11:41.166,0:11:43.236
expressing strongly

0:11:43.236,0:11:47.236
the everyday life of the North Koreans

0:11:47.236,0:11:49.466
through dictatorship and the system

0:11:49.466,0:11:51.456
in which they live.

0:11:52.656,0:11:56.656
In a way, the author wanted to share

0:11:56.656,0:11:58.776
his experience and what he saw in

0:11:58.776,0:12:02.826
a country that is not that easy to visit.

0:12:06.666,0:12:08.656
Someone from the Library staff told

0:12:08.656,0:12:12.656
to our correspondent that the students

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who are the people that most frenquently

0:12:15.896,0:12:19.266
use the Library were not happy about

0:12:19.266,0:12:21.113
this exhibition.

0:12:21.536,0:12:25.536
Did they have the chance to approach you

0:12:25.536,0:12:29.536
and get more information before reacting?

0:12:29.536,0:12:32.476
Or is the case of disinterest

0:12:32.476,0:12:36.980
toward the content.

0:12:38.176,0:12:41.536
As I said before, the information

0:12:41.536,0:12:44.176
was available everywhere.

0:12:44.756,0:12:48.056
Days before the opening we gave flyers,

0:12:48.056,0:12:51.050
also, the installation was implemented

0:12:51.050,0:12:54.216
days before meaning that was enough space

0:12:54.216,0:12:55.706
to get informed.

0:12:55.706,0:12:59.786
If the students did not like what they saw,

0:12:59.786,0:13:03.036
I can say that the exhibition

0:13:03.036,0:13:05.946
was not set to be liked or disliked

0:13:05.946,0:13:07.483
by anyone.

0:13:07.953,0:13:09.983
I was set to provoke thinking.

0:13:09.983,0:13:12.973
An exactly on the principle of allowing

0:13:12.973,0:13:15.818
an artist to establish a communication

0:13:15.818,0:13:18.898
with our public, we collaborated with

0:13:18.898,0:13:20.680
author for this exhibition.

0:13:23.780,0:13:26.128
The debates are always well received,

0:13:26.128,0:13:28.818
but we think that always when you discuss

0:13:28.818,0:13:30.380
about something,

0:13:30.380,0:13:33.260
you should have the proper information.

0:13:33.780,0:13:35.718
I really hope that after this interview

0:13:35.718,0:13:38.280
all of those who somehow felt hurt

0:13:38.280,0:13:40.737
by this exhibition could get through

0:13:40.737,0:13:42.278
some more information.

0:13:42.958,0:13:45.858
And if then they'll still have the same

0:13:45.858,0:13:49.566
opinion is on everybody's right to think

0:13:50.738,0:13:53.408
Did you as Library, ever thought or

0:13:53.408,0:13:55.598
at least were you influenced by

0:13:55.598,0:13:58.198
the comments and critics mainly in the

0:13:58.198,0:14:00.408
social media,

0:14:00.408,0:14:02.638
to take down the exhibition before

0:14:02.638,0:14:04.388
the announced date?

0:14:05.048,0:14:08.388
In fact, I don't think we can

0:14:08.388,0:14:10.698
call it proper criticism,

0:14:10.698,0:14:12.898
what has been done until now.

0:14:12.898,0:14:16.898
It is more a confrontation of ideas...

0:14:16.898,0:14:20.898
the Library want's to clarify the reason

0:14:20.898,0:14:24.898
why we chose to make this collaboration

0:14:24.898,0:14:27.558
We are there

0:14:28.758,0:14:32.898
In fact, how can we stand behind a

0:14:32.898,0:14:36.898
criticism of promoting dictatorship

0:14:36.898,0:14:40.158
when we are not doing that?

0:14:40.708,0:14:43.168
I don't know if taking down the exhibition

0:14:43.168,0:14:44.658
would be reasonable.

0:14:44.963,0:14:46.943
Let's talk a bit about that

0:14:46.943,0:14:49.300
because of many requests coming

0:14:49.300,0:14:51.383
at our newsroom to visit again

0:14:51.383,0:14:54.163
the exhibition since we talked about that

0:14:54.163,0:14:55.693
from the beginning.

0:14:56.368,0:14:59.158
Because they don't understand how

0:14:59.158,0:15:01.448
we reacted and accepted this exhibition

0:15:01.448,0:15:04.585
and the work of this author.

0:15:04.585,0:15:07.250
But for the ones that want, is there

0:15:07.250,0:15:10.265
any option contact the Library

0:15:10.265,0:15:14.395
even via web pages or something else?

0:15:15.828,0:15:19.828
Yes, we are absolutely transparent

0:15:19.828,0:15:22.248
with everybody.

0:15:22.248,0:15:24.648
We, the Library, did not receive any

0:15:24.648,0:15:26.444
direct criticism.

0:15:26.444,0:15:28.144
Directly to us.

0:15:28.144,0:15:31.344
We accepted questions from the media,

0:15:31.344,0:15:35.344
and we responded to different questions

0:15:35.344,0:15:39.344
But we saw a tendency from the media

0:15:39.344,0:15:41.624
to reconfirm the criticism that they found

0:15:41.624,0:15:44.244
from the public.

0:15:44.678,0:15:48.838
I'm saying public but actually I don't know

0:15:48.838,0:15:52.678
if they are the public or just some individuals

0:15:52.678,0:15:55.658
who took a lot of attention.

0:15:56.618,0:15:59.498
And actually our answers

0:15:59.498,0:16:02.281
were not transmitted correctly.

0:16:02.608,0:16:05.948
It was a tendency to not receive

0:16:05.948,0:16:10.290
information about the exhibition or the artist.

0:16:10.358,0:16:13.638
Except one media who talked directly to

0:16:13.638,0:16:15.548
Mr. Morten Traavik.

0:16:15.548,0:16:18.898
No one else wanted to communicate with him.

0:16:19.148,0:16:21.908
It means that the author knows about the debate.

0:16:22.588,0:16:25.598
Yes, and he is open to comments

0:16:25.598,0:16:28.060
and sincere discussions

0:16:28.060,0:16:31.480
about the exhibition.

0:16:32.680,0:16:34.728
Is he surprised about the reactions

0:16:34.728,0:16:36.868
in Kosovo?

0:16:36.868,0:16:39.898
Because I believe he has shown

0:16:39.898,0:16:42.288
this exhibition in other places

0:16:42.288,0:16:44.988
and I don't know how was the reaction

0:16:44.988,0:16:46.499
in other places?

0:16:47.058,0:16:49.418
Mr. Traavik is very surprised

0:16:49.418,0:16:51.158
and disappointed

0:16:51.608,0:16:54.328
Not disappointed from the people

0:16:54.328,0:16:56.578
of Kosovo but from the expectations

0:16:56.578,0:16:59.360
about bringing his work.

0:17:00.380,0:17:04.800
He knows all had happened after the opening

0:17:04.800,0:17:07.940
and he is open for everybody,

0:17:07.940,0:17:11.020
for people or media

0:17:11.020,0:17:14.600
who wants more information.

0:17:16.300,0:17:19.910
But also with a little google research

0:17:19.910,0:17:24.300
you can get links and informations

0:17:24.300,0:17:28.000
about Mr. Morten Traavik and his art.

0:17:28.780,0:17:30.490
I hope for those who want to know

0:17:30.490,0:17:32.750
more can go online

0:17:32.750,0:17:35.301
and find more answers.

0:17:35.570,0:17:37.350
We are at the end of our time

0:17:37.350,0:17:39.590
shortly if you want to say something

0:17:39.590,0:17:41.490
to our public especially to those

0:17:41.490,0:17:43.420
who now wants to really visit

0:17:43.420,0:17:45.272
the exhibition to find out if

0:17:45.272,0:17:47.252
they unintentionally prejudged

0:17:47.252,0:17:48.334
the exhibition or not.

0:17:48.334,0:17:50.114
How long will the exhibition last?

0:17:50.644,0:17:53.864
These are the last days of the exhibition

0:17:53.864,0:17:56.954
meaning in the 11th will be the last day.

0:17:57.304,0:17:59.940
So there are only 3 days.

0:18:00.360,0:18:03.940
Except for Sunday that we are closed.

0:18:03.940,0:18:07.430
We invite everybody to visit the exhibition

0:18:08.020,0:18:11.940
to change their mind or just to get informed

0:18:11.940,0:18:15.940
Or simply to tease their critic mind.

0:18:17.920,0:18:19.940
We welcome everybody.

0:18:21.080,0:18:23.600
Rudina thanks you for being here

0:18:23.600,0:18:25.454
we'll welcome you for other talks

0:18:25.454,0:18:27.604
hoping to have good debates too.

0:18:27.674,0:18:28.710
Thank you very much

0:18:28.770,0:18:29.958
Thank you very much