Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje Nina Suomalainen congratulated on Thursday the Roma community in Macedonia ahead of the International Roma Day on April 8, and expressed her wish for harmony and coexistence amongst all communities.
"International Roma Day is not just about celebrating Roma culture, it is a day when societies should look into the everyday challenges Roma people face in all areas of life," said Suomalainen.
The Mission commends the efforts of national institutions, as well as other initiatives aiming at investing in the Roma community so that Roma women are guaranteed equal rights, Roma youth are equipped with employable skills and all Roma children complete mainstream education, she said.
"Let me highlight that cohesion amongst communities and particularly the inclusion of Roma is not a task for the government only but a task for all citizens. I encourage the state authorities to work together in order to achieve the goals set in the adopted National Strategy for Roma," Suomalainen concluded.