EULEX opened its doors to students from all over Kosovo including Laplje Selo/Llapllasellë, Pristina, Janjevë/Janjevo, Kaçanik/Kačanik and Gračanica/Graçanicë on 8 June 2012. The students, comprised of different ethnic backgrounds, were given a whirlwind tour of EULEX’s headquarters and a lunch with the Head of Mission Xavier de Marnhac.

The Press and Public Information Office gave a lively and interactive presentation of EULEX by presenting some of EULEX’s TV spots which served as a springboard for discussion and questions.

EULEX outreach officer, Eldita Tarani said “This is the first time we’ve done such an initiative to allow students to enter the EULEX HQ and get a real sense of the Mission from an inside view.”

The students were then taken to see representatives of EULEX’s Justice and Police components where they were given a more in-depth picture of how EULEX operates and a chance to ask questions to those in the thick of it. They were also taken to EULEX’s situation centre which to some may seem like a scene from a science fiction film, with its sprawling maps, wall-sized TV screens, and a busy staff attending gadgets and computers arranged in a starboard bow fashion. The final finale of the day was a lunch and discussion with the Head of Mission Xavier De Marnhac.

EULEX’s Head of Press and Public Information, Nicholas Hawton, said “This is just the beginning of a project where we hope to see youth from all parts of Kosovo, from different backgrounds coming to EULEX, to see behind the scenes and to get a fuller impression of what we do. There was a good response from the students, not only during the EULEX presentation, but also in the interaction between the students who are from different communities’

The initiative is part of an overall project to raise awareness amongst young people in Kosovo about the work of EULEX and will become a regular feature of the EULEX’s outreach activities.