RTK: Could you just please reveal a little bit about the goal of this visit at the International Mother Tongue Language Day?
Ambassador Delawie: I am very happy to be here in Novo Brdo to help celebrate International Mother Language Day. This day promotes an important part of Kosovo’s multi-ethnic democracy; linguistic and cultural diversity. Today’s activities nurture diversity in cross-cultural communication by including children who speak six different languages, and encouraging them to collaborate with each other. It’s great for me to see children creating books and writing, the books that they are working on today are going to be uploaded onto the internet so everybody can access them and see what great things children can make when they’re given the opportunity. I believe that an education system that offers quality teaching for children from all communities is absolutely essential to Kosovo’s future.
RTK: This is the International Mother language Day. For as long as you’ve been in Kosovo, how much do you think different languages are being respected in Kosovo?
Ambassador Delawie: I am pleased to see, everywhere I go, the official signs put up by various Governments – the national government, as well as the local government – in all three official languages and four in Prizren, I guess. So, I am certainly happy to see children who are being educated in their mother-tongue language in their home schools. It is very important. The United States is committed to a multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic Kosovo, and USAID and the rest of us at the Embassy try to make contributions to encourage that as much as we possibly can.
