PRESS RELEASE – August 28, 2014

28. August 2014.

You are hereby invited to attend a presentation of the Study on the Possibilities of Improving the Teaching and Learning of Serbian as a Second Language in Primary Schools in the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja. The said event will take place at 11 am on Friday, August 29, 2014, at the “Belgrade” hall of the Palace of Serbia.

For the needs of the study, a survey was conducted in 16 primary schools in the municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, where classes are held in the Albanian language, in order to determine the current state of affairs. Interviews were conducted with the school principals and teachers, while the opinions of all stakeholders, parents, schoolchildren, MPs, representatives of the Albanian National Council, the mayors and representatives of the wider community were collected.

The attendees will be addressed by Danijela Nenadic, the Director of the Coordination Body’s Office, Milica Rodic, the Advisor to the Director of the Coordination Body’s Office and Project Coordinator , Natasa Boskovic , Dušanka Zvekić - Dušanović and Vesna Krajisnik, Coordinators of the Study, Experts and Authors of the Study, Prof. Zoran Stankovic, PhD, the President of the Coordination Body, Srdjan Verbic, the Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development, H.E. Astrid Thors, the High Commissioner on National Minorities, H.E. Michael Davenport, the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, H.E. Denis Keefe, the British Ambassador to Serbia, Nagip Arifi, the Mayor of Bujanovac, and Galip Beciri, the President of the Albanian National Council.

All interested journalists may submit their accreditation to tamara.milosevic@kt.gov.rs. Journalists who have permanent accreditation should confirm their attendance.

Statements on the issue will be given to the media from 12 am to 12.15 am.

AGENDA

Presentation of the Study on the Possibilities of Improving the Teaching of Serbian as a Second Language in Primary Schools in Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja

August 29, 2014, Room 470, Palace of Serbia, Belgrade

11:00 – 11:15 Introduction, Milica Rodic, the Advisor to the Director of the Coordination Body and Project Coordinator, Natasa Boskovic , Dušanka Zvekić - Dušanović and Vesna Krajisnik the Coordinators, Experts and Authors of the Study.

11:15 – 11:20 Prof. Zoran Stankovic, PhD, the President of the Coordination Body

11:20 – 11:30 Srdjan Verbic, the Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development

11:30 – 11:35 H.E. Astrid Thors, the High Commissioner on National Minorities,

11:35 – 11:40 H.E. Michael Davenport, the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia

11:40 – 11:45 H.E. Denis Keefe, British Ambassador to Serbia

11:45 – 11:55 Nagip Arifi, the Mayor of Bujanovac,

11:55 – 12:00 Galip Beciri, the President of the Albanian National Council

12:00 – 12:15 Questions and Answers on the Study

Moderator: Danijela Nenadic, the Director of the Coordination Body’s Office