RYCO in Kosovo* Marks World NGO Day

EUROPE – Head of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Kosovo Ms Krenare Gashi-Krasniqi took part in the celebration of the World NGO Day by participating in the webinar Challenges Facing NGOs in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations organized by the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe and supported by the Council of Europe on Friday, 26 February.

During her participation in the panel discussion Civil Society in the Context of Armed Conflict and Post Conflict Situations, Ms Gashi-Krasniqi briefly presented the activities of RYCO, the importance of the actions of young people in the peacebuilding and reconciliation in the Western Balkans as well as underlined the role of NGOs in RYCO but also in supporting the process of reconciliation in the region.

“For RYCO, the role of NGOs remain essential as they have carried the basis on which RYCO was established. They continue to contribute even now to the functioning of RYCO either by participating in RYCO structures or by being project implementers across the region,” Head of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Kosovo pointed out.

She also emphasized that the process of reconciliation did not start with RYCO.

“There was NGOs’ pressure towards governments of our region even in times where there was no cooperation or even communication between them. There were NGOs which pushed a lot for the establishment of RYCO and other initiatives which promote and strengthen reconciliation, trust, cooperation and dialogue in the region. As such, their role is crucial in enhancing this process now and in the future. They are the engines of the process of reconciliation in our region,” Ms Gashi-Krasniqi pointed out.

The event was organized and supported by the Council of Europe on occasion of the World NGO Day 2021. It aimed to pay tribute to the civil society work, focused on human rights, reconciliation and the rule of law, in the conflict and post-conflict contexts.

RYCO remains committed to cooperation with and support to the civil society organizations from the region as it believes that they are one of the key stakeholders in bringing the region and its youth closer together.

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*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

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