President personally took a bullied girl to school by the hand

A touching incident occurred in Gostivar, North Macedonia, in February 2022. 11-year-old Embla Ademi was bullied by parents and some classmates at school.

Because Embla has Down syndrome, some parents opposed her studying in the same class as their children. They organized a boycott, claiming the girl was disrupting the learning process. These accusations were said to be unfounded.

As a result, the girl was isolated from her classmates and forced to attend classes alone. Once the incident became public, the country's president, Stevo Pendarovski, did not remain indifferent.

The President visited Embla's home and gave her a gift. Then, he took the girl by the hand and walked her to school. This gesture was widely seen as a sign of support for children with special needs.

Pendarovski emphasized that inclusive education is important for every child. He stated that the actions of those who allowed the discrimination were unjustifiable.