‘New’ Kosovo gets example from 'Kids for Peace'
Ever since its inception in 2002, World Vision Kosovo’s ‘Kids for Peace’ project has brought together hundreds of children from various ethnicities to promote respect and understanding for each other. The peace education project teaches basic life skills to rural children with the aim of equipping them to deal with the problems of ethnic division around them. It has given children from different ethnic groups the chance to establish new friendships across ethnic boundaries. Children have learned about each other’s ways of life and gotten to know about the traditions, religions and cultures of their ethnic neighbors.
“The youth and children of today become the fighters and politicians of tomorrow. Youth and children must be supported to build peace through education, ongoing dialogue and active participation,” said the 19-year-old founder of the \'Kids for Peace\' project, Fatmire Feka.
The youth and children of today become the fighters and politicians of tomorrow. Youth and children must be supported to build peace through education, ongoing dialogue and active participation
On February 17th, eight years after the NATO led war in 1999, Kosovo’s parliament made a unilateral declaration of independence effectively declaring Kosovo as the world’s youngest state. Celebrations all over Kosovo lasted well into the night as ethnic Albanians took to the streets to mark this milestone in their history. Yet while the Albanian population celebrated what they view as a reward for many years of struggle for self-determination, the Serb population is angry at what they perceive as an illegal cessation of Kosovo from their country. Celebrations in Pristina contrasted with violent scenes in Belgrade where rioters clashed with police.
While this marks a new era for Kosovo, the social problems of ethnic hatred and division remain. It will take years to address such deeply rooted, cyclical problems. The potential for continued ethnic conflict is a real concern and thus, it is critical to continue to reach out to the younger generation of Kosovars who are left to make sense of the world around them.
World Vision with its ‘Kids for Peace’ project has spent the last six years building a culture of peace and promoting responsible living amongst the children of the ethnically divided Kosovo. Fourteen clubs host some 350 children from all ethnicities. In order for this work to continue on a self-sustainable basis and expand in other areas, close monitoring and facilitation assistance is provided by World Vision Kosovo, particularly to schools with the least capacity to run clubs independently.
In addition to the children’s club, World Vision has built “peace building” into its microfinance programme, assuring that the various ethnic groups also work together in developing Kosovo economically.
World Vision couples the Kids for Peace club approach with peace-summer camps and peace-clubs for teenagers. It seeks to use the peace building concept in other conflict situations in the Caucasus and the Middle East.
“The youth and children of today become the fighters and politicians of tomorrow. Youth and children must be supported to build peace through education, ongoing dialogue and active participation,” said the 19-year-old founder of the \'Kids for Peace\' project, Fatmire Feka.
The youth and children of today become the fighters and politicians of tomorrow. Youth and children must be supported to build peace through education, ongoing dialogue and active participation
On February 17th, eight years after the NATO led war in 1999, Kosovo’s parliament made a unilateral declaration of independence effectively declaring Kosovo as the world’s youngest state. Celebrations all over Kosovo lasted well into the night as ethnic Albanians took to the streets to mark this milestone in their history. Yet while the Albanian population celebrated what they view as a reward for many years of struggle for self-determination, the Serb population is angry at what they perceive as an illegal cessation of Kosovo from their country. Celebrations in Pristina contrasted with violent scenes in Belgrade where rioters clashed with police.
While this marks a new era for Kosovo, the social problems of ethnic hatred and division remain. It will take years to address such deeply rooted, cyclical problems. The potential for continued ethnic conflict is a real concern and thus, it is critical to continue to reach out to the younger generation of Kosovars who are left to make sense of the world around them.
World Vision with its ‘Kids for Peace’ project has spent the last six years building a culture of peace and promoting responsible living amongst the children of the ethnically divided Kosovo. Fourteen clubs host some 350 children from all ethnicities. In order for this work to continue on a self-sustainable basis and expand in other areas, close monitoring and facilitation assistance is provided by World Vision Kosovo, particularly to schools with the least capacity to run clubs independently.
In addition to the children’s club, World Vision has built “peace building” into its microfinance programme, assuring that the various ethnic groups also work together in developing Kosovo economically.
World Vision couples the Kids for Peace club approach with peace-summer camps and peace-clubs for teenagers. It seeks to use the peace building concept in other conflict situations in the Caucasus and the Middle East.
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