OSCE Mission in Kosovo organizes visits to cultural and religious heritage sites for elementary school pupils

To teach schoolchildren about the importance of cultural and religious heritage, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo organized visits for over 130 elementary school pupils and their teachers to four sites in Prizren.

The aim of the visits was to increase the knowledge of schoolchildren from different communities about cultural and religious heritage, and improve their understanding and appreciation of diversity.

The schoolchildren toured the Sinan Pasha Mosque, the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. George, the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, and the League of Prizren memorial complex. They were informed about the history of these sites and their value to society, as well as the importance of protecting and preserving cultural and religious sites belonging to different communities.

“Preserving the rich and diverse heritage across Kosovo requires support from all members of society, and involving young people in this is fundamental. We hope visits like these will help preservation efforts,” said Kavya Rajan, Director of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo’s Department of Human Rights and Communities.

Liridon Agushi, a history teacher from the Ismail Luma Primary School in Lipjan/Lipljan emphasized the importance of this study visit for acquainting the pupils with the diversity of cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo. “We thank the OSCE for organizing this visit, which is the first of its kind for our school, and aims to help students understand and promote multi-culturalism and respect for one another.”

The OSCE Mission is mandated with the protection and promotion of human and community rights, democratization and development of the public safety sector. It continuously supports efforts to protect and promote the rich and varied cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo.