Prishtina, March 18, 2025
Today, on the occasion of the World Social Work Day, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the conference on the theme “Strengthening Solidarity Across Generations for Sustainable Well-being”, which was held at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”.
Situated among many students, professors, researchers, workers and partners, the Prime Minister said that social work has evolved over time based on human and societal needs. However, despite the developmental phases, it has maintained its purpose, working for an inclusive society, as such it also seeks to achieve the well-being of vulnerable and marginalized communities and individuals.
“Social work is much more than a job, field or profession. It is more than that because it encompasses within itself a diverse world of ideas and the strength of dedication and unwavering commitment, to contribute to a better environment that surrounds us and a better society. It is both an art and a science”, he said.
Among other things, Prime Minister Kurti mentioned that during his governing mandate, social protection has also been at the center, ensuring financial distribution and equal conditions for all communities and social categories without distinction, through various measures.
Further, the Prime Minister indicated that the implementation of the project for the Reform of the Social Assistance System has begun, which aims to better target families that need support from the state and support of family members who are able to work.
In this regard, Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that around 3.8 million euros in financial support have been allocated for categories in social need during the past two years, 2023 and 2024, as well as exempting from notary fees the individuals seeking to exercise their rights at the Center for Social Work, and 672 professionals in Social and Family Services have been licensed.
“3 million euros was the financial support for shelters and non-governmental organizations licensed in the field of social and family services during those years 2023 and 2024”, he added, among other things.
In conclusion, he stated that they are working on a deep reform of the Centers for Social Work, because we want to link development with justice in order to make progress, and with this reform, these centers come under the umbrella of the Ministry of Justice.
We remind you that World Social Work Day has begun to be marked by the International Federation of Social Workers, which is celebrated through various activities around the world.
Full speech of Prime Minister Kurti:
I always feel pleasure when I return to the university premises and especially when I am among students, professors, workers, partners, and researchers as it is today, and even more so of a special and major importance in the functioning and progress of society as a whole and communities in particular such as this of social work.
Honorable Prof. Dr. Bekim Baliqi, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Pristina,
Honorable Prof. Assoc. Avdyl Gashi, Head of the Department of Social Work,
Honorable Professor, Njomza Millaku,
Honorable representatives from the Association of Social Work Centers and the organization Terre Des Hommes,
Honorable students,
Dear participants,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Every year, the third Tuesday of March marks World Social Work Day. While this year, this conference is being marked with the theme of “Strengthening Solidarity Across Generations for Sustainable Well-being”, it makes us explore and reflect on the nature and character of social work, which has evolved over time based on both human and societal needs, as well as the advancement of science and technology.
Despite its developmental stages, it has maintained the same goal: working for an inclusive society, where the power of action of communities that are different and constitute social diversity brings social development, social justice, sustainable peace and the promotion of diversity.
Social work is much more than work and more than a specific field or profession. It is more than that because it encompasses within itself a diverse world of ideas and the strength of unwavering dedication and commitment, to contribute to a better environment that surrounds us and society. And in this sense, it is both art and science. Science because it is a scientific discipline, where we try to find the regularities within phenomena and study and understand in order to put ideas and theories of human interaction into practice. But it is also art because it is continuous communication, active imagination of different individuals, where creative expression and critical thinking stand as key ingredients.
The nobility comes from what we aim for: the well-being of vulnerable and marginalized communities and individuals. Working towards this goal, social workers create programs and policies, advocate and give voice to all those in need and help individuals face various challenges in their lives.
Empowering individuals, communities and institutions is also our primary mission as the Government of the Republic. Throughout the four years of our mandate, government policies have also focused on social protection by ensuring financial distribution and equal conditions for all communities and social categories without distinction through various measures. Because it is precisely through fair distribution and redistribution that development becomes progress. Development as such without internal justice is not progress. When development is fair development, progress becomes progress. And for this we have used a series of different measures not only from the Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers, but especially from it.
Among other things, we have begun implementing the project for the Reform of the Social Assistance System, which aims to better target families that need support from the state and support family members who are able to work. We have allocated around 3.8 million euros in financial support for the past two years, which we left behind in 2023 and 2024, for categories in social need. We have also completely exempted from notary fees the individuals seeking to exercise their rights at the Center for Social Work, and we have licensed 672 Social and Family Services professionals.
Three million euros was the financial support for shelters and non-governmental organizations licensed in the field of social and family services during those years, 2023 and 2024. While we also supported the early education of children from families with social assistance, because there are countless studies that show that for intellectual and emotional formation and for advancement in professional careers, early childhood is almost crucial.
We have been and are a government of work and employment, therefore also a government of work and for the employment of others. While society in the private aspect, private association is organized around rest and entertainment, public society, we believe that it is built around employment. Therefore, when we say that we cooperate, this does not only mean that we are together, we are together as we work and work together. And in these four years, employment in Kosovo has increased by 23%, most notably among youth and women, two social categories that have been the most and longest left aside.
We are also working on the deep reformation of the Social Work Centers, since we want to connect development with justice to make progress, we also have this reform where these centers come under the umbrella of the Ministry of Justice because justice fosters progress in finance. In this case, we aim to improve services for citizens, but also conditions for employees because those who provide these services must have good conditions first of all, so that those who receive them later are as satisfied as possible, and this is done to support them both in the legal and institutional aspects, empowering them to succeed in pushing forward their noble mission.
The first American woman to win the Nobel Prize, Jane Addams, was an activist and contributor precisely in the field of social work, and she said: “Social progress depends as much on the process through which it is ensured as on the result itself”. In other words, the path and the goal, besides not being separate, they also have equal participation. It is not the place we want to reach that will obliterate the path when we arrive. The path we follow is as important as the destination we aim for.
Therefore, a multitude of actions, all together, that produce a society that leaves no one behind must be our central focus. We all have an impact on our society, to improve the present and to leave a better legacy for the generations after us, since we are not responsible for the world and our country, and the society we are part of such as we have found, we are certainly responsible for what we will leave for those who will come after us.
I express my deep gratitude and also my heartfelt thanks for your strong will to be active in contributing to a society that is as equal, inclusive and progressive as possible, where everyone benefits fairly from development, which I am emphasizing; progress is made precisely with justice.
Congratulations and thank you all.
Last modified: March 19, 2025