What Kosovo can teach the world about freedom | Vjosa Osmani Sadriu
4/24/202620 min
“Truth is the real oxygen for democracy,” says Vjosa Osmani Sadriu, the 6th President of the Republic of Kosovo. As a child of war, she once longed for someone to save her people. Now she’s been in the rooms where decisions are made — and she’s never forgotten what brought her there. In conversation with solutions journalist Angus Hervey, she reflects on what it takes to defend democracy in a world where truth itself is under threat. (Recorded on April 14, 2026)
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First 90 secondsElise Hu· Host0:00
[on-hold music] You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hu.
Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu· Guest0:10
I honestly believe that the truth is the real oxygen for democracy. So when you're, when you're undermining truth, you're undermining democracy itself, which obviously is not perfect. It can be messy. It can be painfully slow sometimes. But the opposite of it is destruction.
Elise Hu· Host0:30
That is the former president of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu. She spent her life fighting for both truth and democracy. As a child of war, she once huddled in the mountains with a battery-powered radio, hoping the world's leaders would come save her people. She grew up to become one of those leaders, and she never forgot what brought her there.
Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu· Guest0:50
There are millions of children around the world who are now listening to today's leaders, hoping that someone would not turn a blind eye on their suffering. And it's about continuously, continuously fighting and never giving up.
Elise Hu· Host1:06
In this conversation with journalist Angus Hervey, she reflects on what it truly takes to defend democracy in a world where truth itself is under threat. The conversation is coming up right after a short break. And now our TED Talk of the day.