This year, Republika Srpska will host 950 pupils and 50 children with developmental difficulties from Kosovo and Metohija, who will be escorted by 80 teachers, confirmed the Minister of Education and Culture Natalija Trivić and chairman of the Committee for Assistance to Kosovo Serbs Milorad Arlov.
Trivić stated a solemn welcome will be given to the children from Kosovo and Metohija on June 16 in Andrićgrad in Višegrad, where they will be presented with appropriate welcome gifts. They are planned to stay in Republika Srpska until June 23.
She pointed out that visits by Kosovo children to Republika Srpska and vice versa were very important because it was a way to keep building bridges between the Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija and those in Republika Srpska.
“Children from Kosovo and Metohija will learn firsthand what it is that is significant in Republika Srpska, they will make new friends, get to know the curricula they both learn, and feel closer to Republika Srpska,” Trivić told the press after her meeting with Arlov in Banjaluka on Monday.
Arlov has said 18 local communities from Republika Srpska and school children’s families will play hosts to children from Kosovo and Metohija for the eighth time.
According to him, the children will be put up in Banjaluka, Gradiška, Novi Grad, Derventa, Čelinac, Brod, Modriča, Šamac, Doboj, Bijeljina, Han Pijesak, Pale, East Novo Sarajevo, Višegrad and Trebinje.
He said around 4,500 children from Kosovo and Metohija had visited Republika Srpska so far.
Arlov urged the Council of Ministers to help the project, as it did in the previous years, so the Kosovo children might enter BiH under special conditions as they do not have any travel documents.
He recalled that the Committee was also organising a humanitarian campaign for the construction of a day-care centre “Podrži me” /Support Me/ in Kosovska Mitrovica for over 130 children and youth with developmental difficulties.
Arlov said the fundraiser was open until June 30 and that a groundbreaking ceremony was planned for June 26.
Source: srna
