Kosovo's 2nd Annual Green Festival got underway on September 19th with an opening ceremony in downtown Pristina. Ambassador Delawie delivered a video message at the launch event, highlighting the opportunities in Kosovo's growing, green economy and praising Kosovo's investments in renewable and energy-efficient technologies.  The three-day festival was organized by the USAID EMPOWER Private Sector in partnership with SIDA with the goals of: promoting green businesses and job creation; stimulating needed legal and regulatory improvements for the green business environment; and expanding public awareness of the benefits of adopting green technologies.  The event also featured a “Green Pavilion” where 23 energy sector businesses displayed their products and a daily “Green Forum” covering the three energy sector business clusters – renewables, energy efficiency, and recycling.  

Over time, the festival is intended to evolve into an annual event that will grow into a larger regional show.