REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO
SISTER STATE RELATIONSHIP
EST. 2013
"Kosovo is a small country but it also has a lot of riches that were granted to us by God."
– Ibrahim Rugova
About Kosovo
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Population: 1.86 million
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Capital: Prishtina (Pristina)
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Language: Albanian
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Major Religions: Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic
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Area: 187,000 sq.km
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Climate: temperate continental

History
Kosovo is Iowa’s newest sister states. Former Governor of Iowa, Terry Branstad, signed the agreement in 2013 with Kosovo’s President Atifete Jahjaga.
The relationship blossomed out of the State Partnership Program established between the Iowa National Guard and the Kosovo Security Force. Adjutant Major General Timothy Orr played a key role in promoting the partnership to sister state status.
Three cities in Kosovo have established sister city relationships with cities in Iowa. The city of Peja entered into a sister city relationship with Johnston, Iowa in 2013. In 2016, Fort Dodge signed a sister city agreement with Gjakova in Kosovo. The City of Vushtrri recently entered into a sister city relationship with Norwalk, Iowa. There are also a few other cities in Iowa that are in the process of becoming sister cities.
The activity between Iowa and Kosovo is so robust that the Republic of Kosovo opened its first US Consulate in Des Moines in February of 2016. This was also the first foreign consulate for the State of Iowa.
Feature Projects



Interested in taking part in one of these projects or helping improve the Iowa - Kosovo connection? Click below to learn how.
Jun 9 -12, 2018
Kosovo's Minister of Labour and Social Welfare traveled to Iowa to find opportunities for new projects between the two states
Fall 2018
Kosovar police officers visited Johnston, Iowa to learn about their policing policies and to begin a partnership
Mar 24 - Apr 14, 2018
Kosovo delegation visited Iowa to learn from our transparency in the justice system
May 2018
Iowan delegates traveled to Kosovo to discuss topics such as education, business, sports, and sister states
Jun 25 - Jul 5, 2018
Eight Kosovo high school students visiting Iowa to attend the 4H conference and visit sister cities
Aug 2018
Johnston and Fort Dodge high school students will attend TOKA International summer camp in Prishtina,Kosovo.
Jul 30 - Aug 10, 2018
Kosovo wrestling team travel to Iowa to participate in the AAU wrestling competition
Recent & Upcoming Delegations
Citizen-to-Citizen Relations
Meet the Leadership

Dennis Dietz has been a volunteer for ISS for many years, and he is the founding Chair of the Iowa-Kosovo Sister State relationship. He and his wife Sheila have home-hosted for several visiting international delegations.
Dennis was the Second Vice President & Counsel at Mutual Benefit Life, Farm Investment Division. He is currently a retired Judge Advocate for the Iowa Army National Guard.
Map from Medium article by David Sharpe, Jul 21, 2016
Muscatine photo from Muscatine Kosovo Project by Kristin McHugh
DMACC photo from Glassdoor