Kosovo remains committed to the fight against racial discrimination, Prime Minister Albin Kurti declared on Thursday, at the opening of the second day of the Western Balkans Summit against Racial Discrimination.
"We are here with a commitment to confront racial discrimination, to defeat racism, and combat inequality. To realize the government's vision, we must confront the injustices that exist, especially discrimination. To preserve the community, we must fight discrimination where it is most present: against the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities," he said in his opening speech on the second day of the summit.
Prishtina is hosting the fourth edition of this summit. This annual event gathers key stakeholders from the entire region to exchange practices and strategies for addressing and combating racial discrimination against the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities.
During the opening ceremony on Wednesday, both Prime Minister Kurti and President Vjosa Osmani were present.
"No one has suffered the consequences of systematic discrimination more than Kosovo, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that no one in our country feels discriminated against," declared President Osmani.
On the second day of the summit, a total of five sessions were held, during which panelists from government institutions and civil society discussed the following topics: Responsible Budgeting for Roma: Best Practices and Challenges at Two Levels of Governance; Institutional Mechanisms for Implementing Laws and Policies against Racial Discrimination; Digital Literacy: Examining Barriers to Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian Communities; Success Stories and Best Practices in the Fight against Racial Discrimination - Experiences from the Western Balkans; and Community-Based Services.
This year, under the theme "Unity in Diversity," the Summit not only focused on challenges but also on success stories and best practices, whether from institutions or communities. In addition to bringing together experts, leaders, and activists to discuss and develop effective strategies for combating racial discrimination in all its forms, the Summit provides a platform for sharing the stories and experiences of people affected by racial discrimination.
The Summit is organized by the Office for Good Governance, Human Rights, Equal Opportunities, and Non-Discrimination, the Office of the Prime Minister, and is supported by a consortium consisting of VoRAE, HEKS, Terre des Hommes Kosovo, with funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
