Radio Television of Kosovo has begun preparations for the fourth edition of the Song Festival, which this year will restore its historical name, "Kosovo Chords." For the first time, the festival will also include a Children`s Festival as part of the program.

Festival coordinator Gentiana Begolli Pustina mentioned on RTK's morning show that organizing this year's event represents the biggest challenge faced so far, as it will be held in an expanded format.

"This is the largest organization in the country, especially since we are handling two festivals this year. We not only have the modern song festival but also the children's festival," she stated.

Begolli Pustina emphasized that bringing back the name "Kosovo Chords" comes with a great responsibility for the organizational team.

"Some team members viewed it as a privilege. However, I believe it is a substantial responsibility, particularly this year," she added.

She clarified that the festival will continue the tradition of the RTK Song Festival, and the return of the name "Kosovo Chords" does not entail the creation of a new festival.

"It's essential to highlight that this will be a continuation of the RTK Song Festival. What makes this fourth edition, organized by RTK, special this year is the return of the name 'Kosovo Chords,'" she explained.

The application period for song submissions remains open until August 31, with the festival scheduled for the last week of October. The organizers expect both established singers and new talents from all Albanian regions to participate.

According to Begolli Pustina, one of the main goals of the festival is to promote young artists. "One of the missions of this festival, and our mission as a public broadcaster, is to promote young artists as much as possible, ensuring they have an open door to showcase their talents on this stage."

A new addition this year is the Children's Festival, which will be organized by RTK for the first time.

"This is the first time RTK is organizing a festival of such scale for children. We have started looking at the best practices from the Balkans and European countries to guide our organization," she shared, noting that planning a children’s festival requires special attention to every detail.

Another change is that this year’s festival will take place in the "1 Tetori" Hall in Pristina, which is expected to provide significantly better conditions for all participants.

Regarding Kosovo's potential participation in Eurovision through this festival, Begolli Pustina indicated that this is related to the country's membership in the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 

"I am extremely confident that we will see positive developments regarding Kosovo's participation in Eurovision. While I want to believe in it, we cannot make any promises because this matter lies beyond RTK; it is a state issue. We have been working for years to join the EBU as soon as possible," she stated.

This year's edition aims to merge the tradition of "Kosovo Chords" with contemporary creativity, creating a new platform for both established artists and emerging talents. Applications for participation will be accepted until August 31.