Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and UNICEF Kosovo Office mark the opening of Youth Month with 900 internship opportunities for young people

Prishtina – 3^rd August 2021 - Today, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in partnership with UNICEF Kosovo Office marked the Youth Month with the launch of the 2nd cohort of the Kosovo Generation Unlimited, Internship Programme, supported by the Austrian Development Agency.

Present at the event were Prime Minister of Kosovo, Mr. Albin Kurti,  representatives of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to Kosovo, Mr. Christoph WEIDINGER, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo, Mr. Robert Wright, representatives from international, private and public institutions, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), media and 200 young people. The event took place in Gërmia Park, at the basketball field, in front of the recreational center, from 10:00 to 12:00.

With Kosovo having the youngest populations in Europe, the youth month is an opportunity to highlight the critical need for putting young people at the center of national priorities and provide them with the necessary skills to navigate their future.  

"The biggest strength of our youth is within Kosovo, because they will be the ones to solve the problems we face now and empower Kosovo. But it is our duty to remove barriers for them and allow them to do that,” said the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Mr. Albin Kurti.

In Kosovo, 34% of young people, between the age of 15-24 years are neither employed nor in education or training.[1] The Kosovo Generation Unlimited programme aims to address the transition of young people from school to work by providing them with internship opportunities. Last year, as part of the 1^st cohort of the programme, 500 young people were placed in internships positions, out of which 38% were employed. The programme has created the largest young people movement to support post COVID-19 recovery efforts in partnership with central and local level institutions, private sector enterprises, and young people in Kosovo.

Today, in marking of the youth month, UNICEF Kosovo Office launched the 2^nd cohort of “Kosovo Generation Unlimited” programme by providing additional 900 internship opportunities for young people, in more than 130 private and public entities. “Nothing about us is without us, is the slogan of Generation Unlimited, and we are here today with youth for youth. And this is why we are honored that the Austrian Government supports youth of Kosovo in achieving their goals through great opportunities that Kosovo Generation Unlimited offers to them,” said the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to Kosovo, Mr. Christoph WEIDINGER.

The event, today, also provided an opportunity for young people to network with their peers, engage in discussion with decision makers, private sector representatives, and stakeholders through an organized Local-Caffe Networking activity. Participants also were able to meet with youth leaders and witness youth-led solutions developed by them.

“At Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo we have had an internship programme since 2005 and we’ve engaged more than 100 interns yearly. I am delighted to say that many of them are now heads of departments, working for regional offices, or our headquarters in Vienna. Outside of the bank we see the energy and the talent of Kosovo’s youth in arts, sports, and other areas. But there is still plenty to do, and one of the most important things is to ensure that their education and school gives them the skills for the labor market. And this is what Kosovo Generation Unlimited is doing, bridging this gap in skills, and giving youth opportunities to learn practical skills that are needed,” said CEO of Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo, Mr. Robert Wright.

Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in partnership with UNICEF Kosovo Office and with the support of Austrian Development Agency through its youth programmes has provided 21^st century skills to 7,000 young people annually, empowering them to be their own advocates and become agents of change in their communities. UNICEF is committed to further advance young people’s agenda in Kosovo.

“This gathering here today in front of young people it’s a reminder for all of us that we need to be united to address their needs for a brighter future in education, health, employment and last but not least important hear their voice and empower them as crucial agents of social change in our society,” said the acting Head of UNICEF Office in Kosovo, Mr. Shpend Selimi.

[1] Kosovo Agency of Statistics - Labour Force Survey (2020)