International Day of Persons with Down Syndrome: Kindergartens and Schools Need to Become More Inclusive

"Together in school desks, so that no one is left out," is the slogan of this year's observance of the International Day of Persons with Down Syndrome, which was also promoted this year by all ministers in the Government of Sarajevo Canton, led by Prime Minister Edin Forto. They joined the walk and wore colorful socks, which also symbolize this International Day because people with this type of difficulty cannot match them, in order to express support for these individuals and their integration into society.

On this occasion, a walk was organized from the square in front of the BBI Center to the Cathedral to draw public attention to the right of children with disabilities to quality and inclusive education from the earliest preschool age, and the message "Leave no one behind" was sent by members of the Association Life with Down Syndrome of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in cooperation with the organization World Down Syndrome Day - WDSD.

The Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton, Zineta Bogunić, emphasized that inclusive education should provide every child with an equal right to schooling. Better support from special education centers, which have their own resources and can provide this, should also be ensured.

"This year, for the first time, 1,900,000 KM has been allocated for inclusion, an Action Plan for the Inclusion Strategy will be developed, and certain funds will also be directed to non-governmental organizations, because the system is still not strong enough to solve this problem on its own," Minister Bogunić stressed.

In front of the Cathedral, the minister, together with a boy named Kenan, read a statement in which she pledged that they would all work together to create a society of equal opportunities and chances, and that every child in school would learn according to their abilities.

Among other things, they jointly stated that kindergartens and schools should become more inclusive and be the first and most important proof of the inclusiveness of our entire society, and that these institutions should become places where parents will confidently and happily send their children because they will know that they are enabled to acquire quality education together with their peers.

At the end, Minister Bogunić and the boy Kenan signed the statement.