On August 31, 2013 NDC Skopje organized an event to honor the very first generation of students from the first established integrated school Fridtjof Nansen in Preljubishte, Jegunovce municipality.

NDC Skopje awarded certificates to the teachers, students, parents and local associates for their outstanding contribution during the last five years to the development and support of integrated education.
The event started with a speech of the NDC Skopje Executive Director- Sasho Stojkovski that highlighted the importance of the crucial decisions that were made during 2007 and beginning of 2008 together with the local community during the establishment of integrated education in Preljubishte, Jegunovce municipality.

“The model that we developed together in 2008 demonstrated that can function successfully in one multiethnic school in which all the students learn and grow together with each other, and not just next to each other. I want to highlight that integrated education is a crucial necessity for the Macedonian education system, a necessity that is increasingly growing day by day. We hope that the fear from the unknown, lack of information, stereotypes and prejudices will be soon defeated and this type of education will be the priority for the local and central authorities that are responsible for the education in Macedonia.”

On this occasion, the founder of the Nansen Dialogue Network- Steinar Bryn emphasized the importance of the parents and the families of the students from the first generation during the establishment of the first integrated school in Preljubishte, Jegunovce municipality.

“There are many people who should be honored today, but I want to give a special honorably mention of the parents. Without your great support, and great strength, this school would not have started and this school would not have survived. You are the living proof that in building an integrated society, the most important group is not the politicians, it is not even the teachers- but it is the parents. You made important choices for your children- you can open windows for them or you can close windows. And in this context you definitely opened windows. You should be proud; you have given your children maybe the best start possible under these circumstances.”

During the event, the audience had the opportunity to be reminded on the development path of the Nansen model for integrated education in Preljubishte, Jegunovce municipality through a documentary prepared and produced by NDC Skopje.

The documentary featured events back from the preparation phase of the introduction of the Nansen model for integrated education in the first integrated primary school up until the last activities during the academic year 2012/2013.

After the documentary film, NDC Skopje awarded certificates to the class teachers of the first generation of students that also were the implementers of the integrated extracurricular activities according to the Nansen model for integrated education.

The students from the first generation were also awarded with Certificates for their active participation in the integrated extracurricular activities during the last five years in the primary school Fridtjof Nansen in Preljubishte, Jegunovce municipality. The certificates and the school kits were awarded to the students on behalf of the NDC Skopje Program Managers- Biljana Krsteska Papik and Veton Zekolli.
During the event, a special tribute was also given to the families of the students of the first generation for their outstanding contribution and support to the first integrated primary school and their active collaboration with the school and NDC Skopje team during the implementation of the integrated extracurricular activities. The families of the students were awarded Certificates for gratitude on behalf of the NDN founder Steinar Bryn.

At the event closure, NDC Skopje Executive Director- Sasho Stojkovski awarded Certificates for gratitude to the NDC Skopje local associates for their support and dedication through the entire implementation process of the Nansen model for integrated education.

The Nansen model for integrated education (NMIE) was applied and developed in the first integrated school in Preljubishte, and the school served as an excellent model for the other schools and municipalities that later  started to implement the NMIE project.

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