ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2024
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 52,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2024 on 6,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 280+ campuses worldwide (just 5%) were selected to host the 4,000+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT LENA NAIM IBISHI, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2024.
Central European University | Vienna, Austria | Advancing SDG 17 & UNAI 7
" I am enthusiastic to be a Millennium Fellow because I believe in the power of great minds working together to unlock new heights of brilliance and creativity. Through this fellowship, I hope to weave my passion for diplomacy, culture, and the arts with the innovative ideas of others, fostering a brighter, grander future. As a common proverb states, 'Mountains cannot meet, but people can.' "
Millennium Fellowship Project: From Wars to Weddings: A Sociohistorical Study of Turbofolk
Wars to Weddings: A Sociohistorical Study of Turbofolk
Infidelity, gambling addictions, migrant labor, Facebook romances, suicide, insurmountable bank loans, materialism, and nymphomania are just some of the themes explored in the incredibly diverse genre of post-Yugoslav turbofolk. Turbofolk has been much more than just a music genre; it’s a social phenomenon that captures the joys, difficulties, and contradictions of life in the Balkans. This project, "Wars to Weddings: A Sociohistorical Study of Turbofolk," aims to produce a mini-series that interviews turbofolk artists active before and after the Yugoslav wars, dissecting the cultural and social implications behind the thematics of their
music. By understanding each artist's journey and the socio-political context of their work, the series seeks to foster a deeper appreciation for the shared human experiences that transcend national, ethnic, and linguistic divides. Whether it’s a Croat bellowing about a lost romance, or an Albanian lamenting materialistic implications of owning a Mercedes, or even a Serb exalting the value of alcohol in emotional development, this historico-musicological project aspires to inspire Balkan harmony—or at the very least, spark a neighbourly laugh—by highlighting the unexpected connections found in the melodies and lyrics of turbofolk, a mirror to the collective psyche of the Balkans.
About the Millennium Fellow
Lena Ibishi, from Orllan, Kosovo, is a senior at Central European University, completing her degree in International Relations and Political Science. A published poet, Lena draws inspiration from her Albanian heritage and her fascination with the history of Illyrian Roman emperors. Her passion for traditional dance has led her to perform with Kosovo’s national troupes, where she shares her cultural pride on stage. Beyond her studies, she delves into linguistics, music, and the arts. Lena has refined her diplomatic aspirations through a mentorship with President Atifete Jahjaga and an internship at the Kosovo Embassy in Vienna, aiming to make her mark in global diplomacy.
