North Macedonia: President walks girl with Down Syndrome to school after she was bullied

Image Credit: Goodable via Twitter

The President of North Macedonia is being hailed for his compassion and leadership after he walked 11-year-old Embla Ademi, who has Down Syndrome, to her school when he heard she was being bullied.

President Stevo Pendarovski held Embla Ademi’s hand as he walked her to her elementary school in the city of Gostivar this week.

Pendarovski learned that Embla was being bullied at school because she has Down Syndrome – a genetic condition that can cause learning disabilities. While some resistance remains, people with Down Syndrome are showing that they can fare better in school, at third level and in the workplace than was previously expected. 

It is understood that some parents were opposed to Embla attending the school.  

“The President said that the behaviour of those who endanger children’s rights is unacceptable, especially when it comes to children with atypical development,” a statement from his office said.

“They should not only enjoy the rights they deserve, but also feel equal and welcome in the school desks and schoolyard. It is our obligation, as a state, but also as individuals, and the key element in this common mission is empathy.”

“It will help children like Embla, but it will also help us learn from them how to sincerely rejoice, share and be in solidarity,” the president added.”

After walking the 11-year-old to the school gate, he waved Embla off as she walked into the building.

“We are all equal in this society. I came here to give my support and to raise awareness that inclusion is a basic principle”, local media reported that Pendarovski said. 

The President said he “encouraged and supported” Embla’s parents in their fight for the protection of the rights of children like their daughter. “Prejudice should not be an obstacle to building an equal and just society for all. Empathy is our moral obligation,” the president’s office.

“Prejudices in that context are the main obstacle to building an equal and just society for all,” the North Macedonian President said.

He also stressed there was “a legal and moral obligation to provide inclusive education, in which the main focus is on developing skills and abilities in children with different developmental processes” and emphasized the need to raise public awareness of the issue.

North Macedonia is a small landlocked country in southeastern Europe with a population of around 2 million.

In a video shared by the President’s office, Pendarovski is seen sitting down with Embla’s family, talking about “the challenges she and her family face on a daily basis”, and seeking solutions for same, his office said in a press release.

He also shared photographs of the walk to school on Twitter. 

Local media reported that Embla had been sitting alone in her classroom since the beginning of February after parents of her classmates boycotted classes she attended. They accused the child of ‘aggression’ – a charge denied by a local centre for children with special needs. 

President Pendarovski’s actions of solidarity have won praise from disability rights activists worldwide. 

Advocacy group, Don’t Screen Us Out, said the move showed “great leadership”. 

This piece was first published on Gript.