King hosts creatives from Western Balkans at special reception

Representatives from the creative sector of the Western Balkans enjoyed being centre stage at a reception hosted by the King.

Charles was joined by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at a special reception in central London to celebrate the success of the region’s creative sector where Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told guests the event was “a sign of how strongly we value the UK’s relationship with the Western Balkans and with the different partners that we have here today”.

The event, staged on the eve of the Western Balkans Leaders’ Summit (The Berlin Process) in London, was to mark the role of the creative industries, youth and civil society in the Western Balkans play in driving regional co-operation, cultural diplomacy and inclusive growth.

Ms Cooper told those gathered, including diplomats, artists and businesses leaders as well as cultural and youth representatives, “this is about our history”.

The Berlin Process is an annual forum set up by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2014 to support the six Western Balkan countries outside the EU to increase regional co-operation, support economic development and accelerate efforts for closer European alignment in the Western Balkans.

The King and Prime Minister spoke to the leaders of several nations including prime ministers Edi Rama of Albania, Albin Kurti of Kosovo, Milojko Spajic of Montenegro, Hristijan Mickoski of North Macedonia, Duro Macut of Serbia and Rosen Zhelyazkov of Bulgaria.

They also spoke to Borjana Kristo, the chairwoman of the council of ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dame Karen Pierce, the UK’s Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, was also on hand.

Ms Cooper said: “It was our shared experience of the coming together after histories of conflict and being able to look forward to a shared future and also with optimism for the future.

“So not just to cover issues around security and reconciliation, but also on economic growth, on opportunities for the future, on culture, on industry, and on the way in which we can work together on issues from migration to economic economics and trade as well.

“So with all of those things and so many issues to discuss, but also so much to just enjoy all being together as part of the Berlin process.”

The UK last hosted the Berlin Process, which aims to promote peace, security and stability in the Balkans and support partnership and growth, in 2018.

On Wednesday, Sir Keir is set to host leaders and senior representatives from the Western Balkans including Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia plus Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and the EU institutions.

This year is a significant year for the region as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, the 50th anniversary of Helsinki Final Act and the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the founding of the UN.