Pejë, June 2, 2023 – On the occasion of marking June 1, International Children’s Day – the organizations Eye of Vision and Save the Children in Kosovo in cooperation with the Ministry of Education on Thursday held a friendly meeting with children with the motto “Every day is June 1 , let’s talk together”. The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Mr. Albin Kurti, Minister of Education, Mrs. Arberie Nagavci as well as representatives from the Office for Good Governance.
In this meeting, representatives of children from the RespectOur Rights Group (ROR), Municipal Assemblies of Children, Representatives of the Student Council and the Group of Children with Disabilities “Zëri Ynë”, asked Prime Minister Kurti and Minister Nagavci to do more for the growth of quality in education, improving the living conditions in Kosovo for them by offering better quality services. They also asked for their commitment to the protection of the environment and climate change as well as adequate funds for schools to have more recreational activities as well as scholarships for children with severe economic conditions and disabilities who wish to continue their education. except the mandatory one.
Prime Minister Kurti and Minister Nagavci promised that their demands will be a driving force for them in the planning and development of state policies. Both promised that they will commit to making these friendly meetings with children more frequent, because the commitment of this government is to work and govern for the benefit of all the children of Kosovo.
On June 1, a children’s meeting was held with representatives of the Commission for Human Rights, Gender Equality, Missing Persons, Victims of War Sexual Violence and Petitions. On this occasion, the children asked them to put a lot of pressure on the government to implement the Child Protection Law, to draft laws that affect the quality of education and inclusiveness as well as the environment and climate change. The chairman of this Commission, Mrs. Duda Balje pledged that the children’s requests will be treated with priority and responsibility will be demanded from the relevant government departments for what has been done regarding the concerns that the children have addressed.
Activities to mark June 1, International Children’s Day – Eye of Vision and Save the Children – have also been developed in all the largest municipalities of Kosovo. Various activities such as meetings and public debates with the mayors of the municipalities and the respective directorates, cultural and entertainment activities in the city squares have been developed through the Children’s Municipal Assemblies in these municipalities. In these activities, the children conveyed different messages such as “Small hands carry big hopes”, “Let’s talk together”, “Every day is June 1”. On this occasion, the children requested that the municipalities and the mayors themselves, as well as the Children’s Rights Teams in the municipality, do more for them by creating better conditions in schools, greater security in cities and sports and recreational spaces. The chairmen and directors of the respective directorates, who are also members of the Children’s Rights Teams in the Municipality, pledged to work and will do even more for them, stressing that children are the present and the future of the country for them. who, as leaders of institutions, have an obligation to do much more.
The entire campaign carried out on the occasion of June 1 by the children’s representatives at the national and local level, such as the Respect Our Rights (ROR) group, the Children’s Voice, the eight Children’s Municipal Assemblies, aimed to increase institutional responsibility and raise awareness among adults that they should do more for children and with children, creating for them a better life and well-being and comfortable and safe environments everywhere, so that the children of Kosovo can be and feel equal to their peers in the states others.
This Day is marked within the thematic program in the field of child protection and governance with children’s rights “Our Obligation to the Future – Protection of Children and Governance of Children’s Rights” which is implemented by the Eye of Vision organization, in partnership with Save the Children in Kosovo in the municipalities of Pristina, Pejë, Gjakovë, Klinës, Ferizaj, Gjilan, Klinë and Mitrovica.
