OSCE Presence in Albania provides Roma and Egyptian schoolchildren with education material

The OSCE Presence in Albania provided basic education materials to more than 300 children from the Roma and Egyptian communities in the south-eastern town of Korça.

The materials were given by the Head of Presence, Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth, on 19 December 2011, during a visit to Naim Frashëri secondary school, where 99 per cent of students are Roma or Egyptian. Representatives of local government, the education directorate and civil society organizations were also present.

“Activities to promote minority rights are an important area of the Presence’s work, particularly efforts to improve the situation of Roma people,” Wollfarth said.

This was the second activity of the Presence in a week benefiting schoolchildren from minority groups. On 15 December, the Presence donated books and computers to Roma children at a school in Fushe-Kruja town, and is covering the rent for school premises for one year.