Costett: Women in Kosovo have equal opportunities to contribute to the economy

Today, the ceremony for the conclusion of the first summer camp for girls WiSci Kosovo, with a focus on lessons from science, technology, engineering, art, design and mathematics. 100 girls from Kosovo, Albania, America, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia have participated in this camp.

These girls for 10 days have stayed in Pristina, where they have received lessons on innovative topics such as robotics and encryption, fear technology, renewable energy sources, auto-road technologies and other topics meant to inspire girls to be bold and advance in education and entrepreneurship, developing their faith and skills to leadership.

This camp also intended to prepare girls for their future education and encourage them to follow any of the professional ways offered in the STEM programmes.

US Ambassador Philip Costnett also attended the ceremony, who said this programme is very special for young people to have new experiences.

The reason this programme is so special is that in Kosovo, just as elsewhere in the region, women have no equal opportunity to contribute to the economy. The participation of women in the labour market is critical to meeting the needs of the growing sectors, such as informality and energy... the effort and creativity that these young women have brought to WiSci and further development through this programme will bring opportunity to themselves, your communities, your states and the world”, Ambassador Costnet said.

The director of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) for Kosovo, Sara Olmstead, said this experience would make girls even stronger.

“I hope this experience has made you think and consider whatever you decide to do about future studies and your work. I hope everything here has inspired you to follow the random path and find out what you can achieve”, she said.

Kosovo Milenium Challenge Foundation Executive Director Petrit Selimi has said women and girls are necessary in Kosovo society.

The participation of women and girls in science is not as fascinating as necessary, something that needs to be done... Besides science, you've been engaged in another thing over these two weeks. This is about leadership”, Selimi said.

At the closing ceremony, some of the participants have related their experiences until they noted that during the two weeks of the camp, they have learned much about technology they had not known before. They have also appreciated the friendship they have developed during the activities of the camp.

In Pristina this camp is organised by GirlUp, Intel, Kosovo Milenium Foundation (MFK), Milenium Challenge Corporation (MCC), US Embassys in Pristina, Skopje, Podgorica, Belgrade and Tirana, NASA, NREL, Microsoft, Bechtel, AmCham Kosovoo, Jahal Solar, AAB College, TOKA Organisation and Kosovo Live.