Third round of Superschools is launched
Eleven schools from Kosovo have been awarded the title of “Superschool” this year. The selected schools and their programs will contribute to peacebuilding, reconciliation, and intercultural dialogue within the framework of the Western Balkans School Exchange Program.
Eleven schools from Kosovo have been awarded the title of “Superschool” this year. The selected schools and their programs will contribute to peacebuilding, reconciliation, and intercultural dialogue within the framework of the Western Balkans School Exchange Program.
Alongside the representatives of the awarded schools, the event was attended by distinguished guests, including Arbërie Nagavci, outgoing Minister of Education, Science and Technology of Kosovo; Eva Palatova, Acting Head of Office at the European Union Office in Kosovo; Payam Ghalehdar, Political Officer at the Embassy of Germany in Kosovo; Mimoza Gavrani-Simo, Superschools Project Manager; and Dardana Fetahu, Acting Head of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Kosovo.
Speaking on behalf of Germany, Dr. Payam Ghalehdar, Policy Advisor at German Embassy in Pristina emphasized the importance of investing in youth: “Superschools is far more than a school exchange scheme – it is a unique platform that actively fosters mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue and reconciliation among young people across the region. Germany remains committed to supporting a peaceful, connected, and prosperous Kosovo and Western Balkans.”
From RYCO’s Head Office in Tirana, Project Manager Mimoza Gavrani-Simo described the program’s new phase: “Exchange for change marks a decisive step forward for the Superschools project. It demonstrates our commitment to building resilience and cooperation across the Western Balkans by engaging youth from an early age. Today, we celebrate new opportunities and the empowering potential for lasting peace.”
Echoing this vision, Dardana Fetahu, Acting Head of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Kosovo, added: “These exchanges are more than excursions, they are seeds of understanding, friendship, and peace for the future.”
The upcoming exchange activities will take place between November 15 of this year and April 15 of next year. During this period, each partner school will host one exchange visit lasting up to seven days, with students traveling alongside their teachers. Supported by RYCO and its mentors, the schools will coordinate and implement these activities, giving young people the chance to present themselves, their schools, and local customs while also discovering new communities across the region.
Superschools is co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) together with the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) as part of the project on Western Balkans School Exchange Scheme.