Launching Ceremony for the BRIDGE Project funded by the US Mission in Kosovo.

October 8th, 2021 RIT Kosovo (A.U.K)

The ‘Bridge Project’ or “English Language for Cross Cultural Communication in the Municipalities of Gračanica/Graçanicë, Kamenicë/a, Mitrovicë/a, Pejë/Peć, Prizren and Štrpce/Shtërpcë” is supported by the US Embassy in Kosovo and will be implemented by the RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) Training and Development Institute (TDI).

To mark this event RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) organized a launching ceremony with the keynote speakers: H.E. Albin Kurti the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, H.E. Mr. Nicholas J. Giacobbe, Chargé d'Affaires of US Embassy in Kosovo, the Honorable Ms. Edona Maloku Berdyna, Deputy Minister of Education of the Republic of Kosovo and the Honorable Mr. Qëndron Kastrati, Mayor of the municipality of Kamenica. The ceremony was led by Dr. Kamal Shahrabi,  President and the Dean of RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) and by Ms. Valza Kika Salihu, BRIDGE Project Manager.

The keynote speakers emphasized the importance of the early engagement of youth in culturally responsive educational experiences and the commitment of each party to enable better academic opportunities.

Other guest of this event: Bridge Project partners: Forum for Development and Multiethnic Cooperation (FDMC), Network for Peace Movement (NoPM), Syri I Vizionit, Kosovo United States Alumni Association (KUSA), American Corner in Prizren (ACP) collaborators, municipality representatives, parents from beneficiary municipalities and other stakeholders.

About the project: The BRIDGE Project will bring together 30-40 youth per program site (total of 200 beneficiaries, where at least 100 are women) in the municipalities of Gračanica/Graçanicë, Kamenicë/a, Mitrovicë/a, Pejë/Peć, Prizren and Štrpce/Shtërpcë. 

The goal of the program is to use and promote the English language as a common language to stimulate interethnic collaboration in the social, academic and professional areas among Kosovo youth – thus strengthening Kosovo’s socio-cultural cohesion and tolerance, academic collaboration, economic prospects and international integration of its youth and consequentially of its future generations of leaders, thinkers and doers.

The BRIDGE Project is funded in full by the US Mission in Kosovo.

The website of the project (https://www.rit.edu/kosovo/bridgeproject) was launched today along with the application process for Kosovo youth. The project implementation period is 28 months.