Dua Lipa poses with the President of Kosovo’s delighted twins as she is made an Honorary Ambassador

Dua Lipa was made an Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo in a ceremony at the Office of the President in Pristina on Friday.

The singer, 26, was born in London to Albanian parents but spent much of her childhood in the Balkan state.

Dua moved to Pristina with her family after Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but returned to London at the age of 15 to pursue a career in music. 

The award-winning pop star said it was an ‘honour and a privilege’ to represent her home country and promised to use her platform to ‘make a difference’ to the independent nation.

She took to social media on Sunday to share pictures from the ceremony as she was awarded with the honour by President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu in front of her proud parents Anesa and Dukagjin.

The President also shared a sweet photo of her twin daughters, Dua and Anda, meeting the singer, while praising her for being ‘an inspiration and model for girls all over the world’. 

Fans: The President shared a sweet photo of her twin daughters, Dua and Anda, meeting the singer, while praising her for being ‘an inspiration and model for girls all over the world’

Dua wrote alongside the gallery: ‘Yesterday afternoon I was awarded the title of Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo by our Madame President. 

‘It’s an honour and a privilege to be able to represent my country all over the world and to continue my work and efforts globally to see that we leave our mark and make a difference. 

‘The youth of Kosovo deserves the right to visa liberalisation, freedom to travel and to dream big. Thank you.’

Dua also shared an image of a letter she had received from the President, in which she was described as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime musician’ who had continued to make the country ‘proud’ as she travels the world with her Future Nostalgia tour. 

Proud: The singer, 26, was born in London to Albanian parents but spent much of her childhood in the Balkan state

Icon: The president praised Dua for being ‘an inspiration and model for girls all over the world’

 

Home: The award-winning pop star said it was an ‘honour and a privilege’ to represent her home country and promised to use her platform to ‘make a difference’ to the nation

Honour: Dua’s certificate from the ceremony on Friday

Dua looked smart for the ceremony in a floor-length black gown and oversized khaki blazer. 

The Levitating hitmaker was thanked by the President for ‘continuing to honour’ the country every time she makes a public appearance.

The President also shared a sweet photo of her twin daughters, Dua and Anda, meeting the singer, while praising her for being ‘an inspiration and model for girls all over the world’.

In her own Instagram post, President Osmani- Sadriu wrote: ‘Today, I gave the title of Honorary Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo to Dua Lipa, because she continues to honour our country in every step and every appearance. 

‘I thanked her, on behalf of all the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, for everything she has done and is making our voice heard everywhere in the world.’

Proud parents: Dua was awarded the honour in front of her parents Anesa (L) and Dukagjin (R)

Special moment: She took to social media on Sunday to share pictures from the ceremony as she was awarded with the honour by President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu

Praise: Dua also shared an image of a letter she had received from the President, in which she was described as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime musician’

Alongside an image of Dua hugging her twin daughters, she added: ‘Dua and Anda had the special pleasure of meeting our superstar, the icon of pop music, who has become an inspiration and model for girls all over the world. 

‘She is using her incredible voice and talent, not only to offer the world songs that leave a mark, but also to present the best image of Kosovo everywhere in the world. 

‘Today, because of Dua, there is no one who does not know Kosovo, which has once again made it the centre of world culture through the Sunny Hill festival.

‘Therefore, today at the Presidency we had the pleasure of hosting Dua together with her parents, Dukagjin and Anesa, to thank them for this great contribution to the image of Kosovo in the world.

The president said: ‘Dua and Anda had the special pleasure of meeting our superstar, the icon of pop music’

Honour: Dua moved to Pristina with her family after Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but returned to London at the age of 15 to pursue a career in music

‘We repeat our common message for visa liberalisation for the citizens of Kosovo, which is also the motto of this year’s edition of the Sunny Hill festival. Thank you, Dua, and welcome home!’

On Friday, Dua performed at Sunny Hill Festival in Kosovo, which was founded and organised by Dua and her father, Dukagjin, 53.

The musician looked sensational in a fuchsia Valentino two-piece paired with coordinating gloves and heeled boots. 

The festival, which launched in 2018, has also seen performances by AJ Tracey and Skepta. 

Dressed to impress: Dua looked smart for the ceremony in a floor-length black gown and oversized khaki blazer

Past years have seen performances from Calvin Harris, Miley Cyrus, and Martin Garrix alongside several Albanian musicians.

The event works to raise money for the Sunny Hill Foundation, with the website reading: ‘Just like Dua, we are inspired by our society, and feel that those who have tasted success should pass on the chance for others to follow in their footsteps.

‘Our mission is simple. With knowledge of our country, and through hard work, we aim to be a helping-hand for the most vulnerable and in-need parts of our community.’

Born in London to Kosovar-Albanian parents who fled conflict and political instability in the Balkans, Dua and her siblings – Rina, 21, and Gjin, 16, spent their early years in the UK. 

Talented: On Friday, Dua performed at Sunny Hill Festival in Kosovo, which was organised by Dua and her father , Dukagjin, 53

Their father Dukagjin, a former rocker who shares his daughter’s love of music, is the son of well-known historian Seit Lipa, who served as head of the Kosovo Institute of History.

‘Once the Serbians came in, they wanted a lot of the historians to rewrite the history of Kosovo,’ Lipa told the Observer in 2018. ‘To change it – that Kosovo was always part of Serbia and never part of Yugoslavia.

‘And my grandfather was one of those people who wouldn’t, so he lost his job, because he didn’t want to write a history that he didn’t believe to be true.’

He was an acquaintance of Besim Sahatçiu, the late grandfather of pop star Rita Ora, who was born in Pristina. 

Growing up: Born in London to Kosovar-Albanian parents who fled conflict and political instability in the Balkans, Dua (left) and her siblings spent their early years in the UK

Seit died of a heart attack in 1999, the year the Kosovo War ended. Besim died in 2005.

Before leaving Kosovo, Dukagjin was training to be a dentist, and Anesa a lawyer, but they gave up their professions to flee their home country in search of somewhere safer to raise a family.

They settled in Hampstead, north London. To earn money, Dukagjin and Anesa picked up jobs waiting tables at cafes and bars. Her father took night classes in business and Anesa retrained in travel and tourism.

‘I’ve seen my parents work every day of my life,’ Dua once said. ‘While I was going to school they were going to school.’

Famous friends: Dua and Rita Ora’s grandfathers (left and right, respectively) enjoying a drink in Kosovo in the 1960s in a throwback image, which has been circulating on social media

Young love: Before leaving Kosovo, Dukagjin was training to be a dentist, and Anesa, a lawyer, but they gave up their professions to flee their home country

When Dua was 11, the family moved to Pristina after Dukagjin, who had finished his business course, was offered a job in as a marketing manager. 

‘Our parents spoke Albanian to us, so I didn’t need to learn the language,’ Rina said. ‘It was more of an issue for my sister: she could speak it but she could read and write it.’ 

At the age of 15, Dua asked her parents for permission to return to London, believing that is where she needed to be to forge a music career.  

Rina said: ‘My parents didn’t let her go easily – it was all done in a very controlled way. She had to get back at certain times and she lived with a family friend. 

‘But it was hard. I missed her. She worked very, very hard. I really looked up to her for that and I do to this day.’ 

Close-knit: Dua with her mother Anesa, brother Gjin, sister Rina and father Dukagjin in 2019