Pristina, June 3, 2025 – With the conclusion of the final day’s activities, the first edition of the Social Justice Academy, organized by the Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), successfully came to an end. This academy — the first of its kind in Kosovo — served as an inclusive platform for education, reflection, and dialogue on key issues of social justice, addressing topics related to equality, discrimination, state accountability, and civic participation.
Over four days of programming, participants — including youth, students, journalists, civil servants, civil society representatives, and professionals from various fields — had the opportunity to attend in-depth lectures by well-known local experts and engage in practical exercises and interactive simulations reflecting the real challenges of Kosovo’s social system.
On the first day, lectures were delivered by Prof. Dr. Enver Hasani, former President of the Constitutional Court, on the fundamental principles of social rights under the Constitution of Kosovo and international standards, and Ymer Ymeri, representative of the United Union of Education, Science, and Culture, on the freedom of association and organization in trade unions.
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The second day featured Gresa Caka-Nimani, former President of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, discussing social rights in the practice of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and Albert Mecini, PhD candidate and assistant at the Faculty of Philosophy, addressing the state’s social responsibility.
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On the third day, Arrita Rezniqi, Program Manager at KLI, lectured on social protection through pensions and the state’s role in ensuring a dignified retirement, followed by Visar Ymeri, Executive Director of the Institute for Social Policy “Musine Kokalari,” who spoke on social dialogue and workers’ participation in decision-making.
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The fourth day included interactive workshops and group discussions on selected social issues, while on the fifth day, Florent Muçaj, Professor of Constitutional Law, lectured on the role of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches in realizing social rights, and Gzim Shala, Program Manager at KLI, addressed the right to employment and adequate working conditions.
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As part of the academy’s activities, participants engaged in practical exercises such as simulating the allocation of a €1 billion budget for social policies, comparing pension rates to the real cost of living in Kosovo, and analyzing minimum nutritional rights for pensioners.
The Academy concluded with a certificate ceremony recognizing participants’ active engagement and valuable contributions to discussions. The Social Justice Academy has served as an inspiring model for building a sustainable network of young people and professionals dedicated to social justice, as well as promoting equality and inclusion policies in society.