North Macedonia President walks girl with Down Syndrome to school after she was bullied
This president walked the streets of North Macedonia not for an election campaign but to accompany a child who was bullied in school.
President Stevo Pendarovski walked hand-in-hand with 11-year-old Embla Ademi on the way to her school in the western city of Gostivar after learning that the student, who has Down Syndrome, was being bullied by her classmates and their parents.
According to local reports, Ademi was discriminated against due to her condition as parents do not want her to be in the same class as their children. Since Feb. 1, she had been reportedly isolated from her class and forced to sit alone in a classroom.
Ademi was integrated into three mainstream classes after much effort from her parents, which the school agreed on.
But the parents of other students signed a petition to ban Ademi from the classes because she “interferes with the teaching and because she is aggressive.” However, a local disability services organization for children working with Ademi said she has never been aggressive.
Upon hearing this, Pendarovski visited Ademi and her parents to talk about the challenges they have been facing and show his support in their fight for protection rights of children with atypical development.
With Ademi and her parents, Pendarovski visited the school to talk with the administration about the importance of equality and inclusivity.
“We are all equal in this society. I came to give my support and to raise awareness that inclusion is a basic principle,” Pendarovski said in a statement.
He also stressed that the behavior of those who in any way endanger the rights of children is unacceptable, especially when it comes to children with atypical development.
“It is our obligation, as a state, but also as individuals, and the key element in this common mission is empathy,” he said.
The President added, ”It will help children like Embla, but it will also help us learn from them how to sincerely rejoice, share and be in solidarity.”
In a tweet, Pendarovski shared photos of him and Ademi walking hand in hand on the way to her school, and snaps of his visit to the Ademi home.
The caption of his post read: “Inclusiveness as an aspiration should not remain just a declarative principle but, but to use the potentials for people with atypical development. Prejudice should not be an obstacle to building an equal and just society for all.”
“Empathy is our moral obligation,” he concluded.