A little girl with Down syndrome from the Southeast European country of North Macedonia has faced bullying and discrimination — and when her nation’s president heard about her plight, he took empathetic action.
President Stevo Pendarovski didn’t just visit with 11-year-old Embla Ademi and her family to hear her struggles; he also decided to personally escort her to school Feb. 7, after hearing of the discrimination and pain she reportedly endured, WICD-TV reported.
Photos show the two walking hand-in-hand in the city of Gostivar as they made their way to Embla’s school. The visit came after some parents purportedly complained that the little girl was in the same class as their kids.
President Stevo Pendraovski of North Macedonia has personally escorted Embla Ademi, an 11-year-old girl with Down’s syndrome, to school after hearing she was being bullied. pic.twitter.com/aFwlUdUEFp
— Megha Mohan (@meghamohan) February 11, 2022
“We are all equal in this society,” Pendarovski said of the visit. “I came to give my support and to raise awareness that inclusion is a basic principle.”
The president said it is unacceptable to harm kids’ rights, specifically when it comes to those with disabilities. He said everyone should feel “equal and welcome” at school.
“It is our obligation, as a state, but also as individuals, and the key element in this common mission is empathy,” Pendarovski said, according to Sky News.
The North Macedonian president’s actions sent a clear sign to those watching about the importance of kindness and inclusion for those like Embla.
According to WICD-TV, Pendarovski is hoping there’s a lasting impact.
“It will help children like Embla,” he said. “But it will also help us learn from them how to sincerely rejoice, share and be in solidarity.”
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