For two days, Ms. Miriam Pikaar – Senior official for institutional development at Caritas Europa based in Brussels, held various meetings and visited numerous activities of Caritas Kosova.

The visit started with the welcome meeting at the head office of Caritas Kosova in Ferizaj where he was received by Don Viktor Sopi - Director General and the staff of Caritas Kosova. In this meeting Mrs. Pikaar was informed in detail about the action strategy, the main spheres of activity of Caritas in Kosovo, the successes marked over the years as well as the challenges faced during the daily work in the service of people, without distinction.

Ms. Pikaar was also welcomed at the meeting by Monsignor Dodë Gjergji, Bishop of Kosovo and President of Caritas Kosova. Monsignor Dodë Gjergji was very pleased with the positive evaluation of Ms. Pikaar about the work of Caritas in Kosovo and emphasized the importance of the activity of Caritas as one of the main actors in the country in helping the poor and the needy.

On this occasion, visits were made to the kindergarten "Engjujt" in Ferizaj managed by Caritas Kosova where about 230 children attend, to the Social-Educational Center of Caritas in the village of Dubrava in Ferizaj where services are offered to about 250 children as well as to the Center of early education in Prizren where Caritas Kosova provides services for over 40 children with disabilities.

Meetings were also held in the Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers as well as in the Ministry of Health. To see closely the cooperation in the social sphere, we met with Mr. Mentor Morina, Head of the Department of Social and Family Policy. While cooperation in the field of health services was discussed by Dr. Anton Shllaku, Advisor to the Minister of Justice.

The importance of partnership in the advancement of social, health, educational services, etc. within the local level, it was discussed in the meetings held in the municipalities of Prizren and Suhareka. The mayor of Prizren Mr. Shaqir Totaj highly appreciated the cooperation with Caritas Kosova, especially in the provision of educational services for children with disabilities, as well as social and health services for the elderly and people in need. Ms. Mihrije Suka – Vice-Mayor of the Municipality of Suhareka, emphasizing the many years of cooperation in the field of combined social and health services.

Ms. Pikaar highly appreciated the multi-dimensional commitment of Caritas Kosova in providing services to people in need, as well as the many development projects to support different categories of society, empowering them to realize their basic rights in all areas of human development.