Prishtina-Skopje Highway,
Pristina, Kosovo 10000
The 14th Balkan Congress of ORL & HNS was held for the first time in Prishtina, Kosova in June 2026, bringing together professionals from across the Balkan states and beyond. The event promised knowledge exchange, networking and development of strategic partnerships, amidst a diverse programme focused on science, innovation and collaboration. It delivered on all these fronts with exceptional hospitality.
Spearheaded by the president Dugagjin Spanca, the event brought together approximately 350 participants from 20 countries for keynote lectures, scientific sessions and hands-on courses which were very well organised and delivered. These included the very latest on how AI is shaping the future of ORL in hearing care, early disease detection and personalised health.
Although Prishtina and Kosova’s recent history has been marked by violence and the struggle for independence, what has visibly emerged is a dynamic cultural hub, characterised by urban and economic growth, transformation and a digital, green economy. I encountered a vibrant, dynamic, multi-lingual, tech-literate youth (many are named Tony in celebration of the peace-delivering efforts of Tony Blair!) with a bustling café culture. Its built landscape is a unique blend of Ottoman heritage, Yugoslav brutalist architecture and modern monuments to independence.
A special and surprising towering highlight, which should not be missed when visiting, was the newly erected Romanesque-style Mother Theresa cathedral with its vibrant stained-glass windows illustrating her life’s work serving the poor and destitute in Calcutta, India. Saint Theresa was born in Skopje, present-day north Macedonia, with both parents ethnic Albanians and originating from modern-day Kosova. The cathedral promises to be a large Balkan tourist draw in coming years.
The 15th Balkan Congress of ORL & HNS, to be held in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, promises to be an unmissable treat for all internationally who celebrate the new world order, unique heritage and global contributions of this region.
