The lack of participation of the youth of the Municipality of Suhareka in advocacy processes, as well as, the lack of information about the activities organized by the municipality, the lack of recreational spaces and activities in schools and Gymnasiums, were some of the discussion points in the Salon which was held on February 8th, in the Municipality of Suhareka.
The invited panelists to discuss about the topic, were: Lorika Gashi, Director of Culture, Youth and Sports in the Municipality of Suhareka, Sami Rrakaqi, Director of the Center for Social Work in Suhareka, and Kushtrim Kuqi, assemblyman from the ranks of the Democratic League of Kosovo, in the Municipal Assembly of Suhareka.
Lorika Gashi, Director of Culture, Youth and Sports, said that this year, the municipality has managed to increase the budget for culture in their municipality from 100,000 to 300,000. She emphasized that through this budget, the call for grants for creative ideas, will be opened very soon, a call for which all the youth of Suhareka can apply. Gashi also said that they are in the process of making the House of Culture functional, where the youth will have a place to stay. However, she stated that the youth are not very active and advocating, about the activities and ideas, that they want to send forward.
While Sami Rrakaqi, from the Center for Social Work, has shown that the youth of Suhareka are not informed enough, about what this office offers. Rrakaqi has shown that as a center, they have four services that they deal with, and help is constantly offered to youth, from infancy to adulthood.
On the other hand, Kushtrim Kuqi, assemblyman in this municipality, expressed that the youth do not have forms of how to advocate, they do not have any activities that they gather, develop and advocate. Kuqi also stated that policies should be made to support the youth.
This salon is organized by Democracy for Development (D4D), which is supported from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.