The Italian Embassy and the Ministry of Education Science and Technology supported by UNDP in Kosovo launched today the Teacher’s Manual on Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE). The event was hosted by HE Piero Cristoforo Sardi, the Ambassador of Italy in Kosovo, and speakers included Ms. Ulrika Richardson, the UN Development Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Shyqiri Bytyqi, the Minister of Education Science and Technology, and Mr. Selami Shkodra, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. Also present at the event were KFOR Commander, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Kosovo institutions and international organisations. Ms. Afërdita Jaha, the Head of the Technical Team on PVE in the Ministry of Education Science and Technology presented the manual.
The “Prevention of Violent Extremism: Teacher’s Guide” is in line with the “2015-2020 Strategy on Prevention of Violent Extremism and Radicalization Leading to Terrorism” from September 2015 and its Action Plan. The key objectives of the Manual are to raise the awareness of institutions working in this field, foster cooperation with the community, and build institutional capacities to better address the challenges they face. In particular, it is linked to the “Strategic Objective 1 - Early Identification - of Causes, Factors and Target Groups” of the Strategy. Since the Strategy emphasizes the need for teachers, pedagogues, and psychologists to involve in the early identification of radicalization among students, the present Manual seeks ways to serve this purpose.