About SEKHMET
SEKHMET is a young NGO based in Prishtina. With our work, we intend to contribute to the democratization of Kosovo. For us, this means recognizing our individual civic duty to fight for justice through our work, to occupy the public space with competence and responsibility, and to nurture public processes which promote wellbeing for all.
SEKHMET promotes justice and respect for human rights, particularly of minorities and of those excluded from power, representation and recognition, by supporting inclusive social and cultural change. Our work takes the form of research and documentation, through cultural and artistic productions as well as advocacy and awareness-raising activities targeting the general public, mainly on women's and LGBT+ rights.
Why SEKHMET
Sekhmet, “She who is Powerful”, is an Ancient Egyptian goddess of war. Half woman, half lioness, she is the daughter of Ra, the King of the Gods — and his most feared and revered servant. Implacable warrior and with limitless power, Sekhmet exacts revenge on all those who defy the laws of the gods by bringing injustice and imbalance onto the world. As dangerous as the desert, as mighty as the midday sun she wears as a crown, Sekhmet is the annihilator of bad things, she who allows for the restoration of order. As such, Sekhmet is also worshiped as the goddess of medicine, and of just retribution. Also known as Nesert, the “Burning Flame”, Sekhmet personifies raw power, defiant righteousness and unashamed femininity. Destroyer on one hand and creator on the other, mother of balance, she is a goddess of sexual liberation.
At SEKHMET, we celebrate the power of this ancient goddess, and her commitment to make all accountable before justice. We salute her resolve, stemming from her sacred duty to what is right, and her fearlessness in displaying her innate power. We honor the strength of her womanhood and of her unapologetic individuality, and the generative power of her public-spirited pursuit of justice.
Who we are
Dardan Hoti, SEKHMET's Executive Director, has nine years of experience in journalism, covering mainly human rights, with a particular focus on LGBT+ rights. He has worked as an editor and producer in media such as RTV Dukagjini and Euronews Albania. In 2013, he won the first Journalism Poverty Prize awarded by the United Nations Kosovo Team. Between 2014 and 2021, Dardan was a board member of the Kosovo Journalists Association. He is the researcher and producer of the documentary “As I Was Looking Above, I Could See Myself Underneath”, exploring the lives of LGBTQ persons in Kosovo. His most recent works are the realization of “Dealing with the Forgotten,” a photo exhibition on the issue of missing persons in Kosovo, and the coordination of the exhibition “The grave is better than not knowing,” on the same topic, for the Humanitarian Law Center Kosovo. Currently, he is producing the documentary “I have never been on an airplane,” supported by the Kosovo Cinematography Center.
Liridona Gerxhaliu is a highly experienced finance/accounting professional with a decade of expertise in the nonprofit sector, private sector, and academia. She advises and supports various non-governmental organizations on tax matters, financial statements, and payroll, including the Association of Journalists of Kosovo. Additionally, Liridona offers guidance on complex transactions and tax compliance in the private sector. She has also served as an adjunct professor and regularly publishes on tax and financial topics related to Kosovo. Known for her data-driven approach, Liridona prioritizes accountability and effectiveness in her work.
For our projects, we count on a network of collaborators in the fields of journalism, research, advocacy and culture.
Arbër Selmani is a journalist, poet, and researcher from Kosovo. He has published four books and has participated in numerous literature festivals in Europe, naming POLIP – International Literature Festival in Pristina, LITERODROM – Literature Festival in Slovenia, Genova International Poetry Festival - Parole Spalancate and XV Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and Mediterranean in Rome and Thessaloniki. His poems and stories have been translated to Italian, Slovenian, German, Bosnian, Serbo-Croatian and lately in English for Songs of Eretz Poetry Review, Zoetic Press, Ethel Zine, The Impossible Archetype, Rhodora Magazine, York Literary Review 2022 and Changes Press.
Anyla Kabashi is an emerging art historian, researcher, and writer based in Pristina, Kosovo. Anyla completed her BA in Art History and Information and Communication Sciences in Zagreb and her MA in Semiotics in Budapest. During this time, she has been involved in researching feminist practices in Central European and Balkan art history and documenting and classifying artworks in museum and gallery collections using technologies such as ICONCLASS and AI. She has worked on documenting the works of the artist Vera Dajht Kralj in Zagreb and on the database of Kosovo artists developed by the Qahili Gallery. She participated in the mediation program of MANIFESTA 14. Recently, she was an artist-in-residence at the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna and worked on the curatorial team for the exhibitions Ancestral Clouds, Ancestral Claims, and Darker, Lighter, Puffy, Flat at Kunsthalle Wien. Anyla is interested in exploring visual languages and artistic discourses to better understand artistic creation, communication, contexts, realities, and mediation as processes of making meaning.
ERN is a nonbinary writer and passionate LGBTQ+ rights activist. They co-founded Kolektivi Zinë and have published educational works that spotlight social issues, with a strong focus on the queer experience. Ern is a researcher and a journalist at Sekhmet Institute.
