Empathy and respect in focus as concern over peer violence grows

Podgorica, 24 April 2026 – Amid growing concern over peer violence, UNICEF and VOLI, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation and the Bureau for Education Services, are launching a national campaign to bring messages of empathy, respect and healthy relationships to families across Montenegro through everyday spaces such as supermarkets.

The campaign is part of VOLI’s USD 400,000 investment in children in Montenegro and builds on the “My Values and Virtues” programme, developed by UNICEF and the Bureau for Education Services. Implemented in 146 schools since 2015, the programme helps teachers develop children’s key life skills alongside academic knowledge, including empathy, cooperation, self-confidence, integrity and responsibility.

“The education system plays a key role in preventing peer violence by strengthening children’s social and emotional skills. Through school and everyday interactions, children learn how to understand others, respect differences and behave responsibly. This is why it is important to continuously develop and expand such programmes, so that every child has a safe and stimulating environment in which to grow and develop,” said Prof. Dr Anđela Jakšić-Stojanović, Minister of Education, Science and Innovation of Montenegro.

With VOLI’s support, social and emotional learning will be expanded to 15 additional schools, with the long-term goal of making these programmes available to all students in Montenegro.

“Children are not born with these skills – they learn them. In the classroom and through everyday interactions, they develop empathy, respect and a sense of responsibility, which are essential both for learning and for life,” said Michele Servadei, UNICEF Representative in Montenegro.

The initiative comes at a time of growing attention to children’s mental health, online safety and peer violence. It highlights the need to further strengthen social and emotional skills, both in schools and in society as a whole. According to 2023 data from the Bureau for Education Services, more than 43% of students in Montenegro have witnessed peer violence, while 17% report having personally experienced it.

As part of the campaign, messages promoting empathy, solidarity, respect, friendship and self-confidence will be displayed in VOLI supermarkets across the country, bringing these values closer to the everyday spaces where families live, shop and spend time.

“Through this partnership, we are supporting children not only to succeed in school, but also to grow into people who care about others and contribute to a society based on respect, responsibility and solidarity,” said Dragan Bokan, President of the Board of Directors of VOLI.

The “My Values and Virtues” programme is aligned with Montenegro’s Education Reform Strategy 2025–2035, which recognizes social and emotional skills as a key component of quality and inclusive education.