President Peter Pellegrini Encourages Young People to Be Active in Public Life

Casta-Papiernicka, March 19 (TASR) - President Peter Pellegrini encouraged young people in Slovakia to be active in their communities and public life during his speech on Wednesday at the sixth session of the Parliament of Children and Youth, held at the Parliament Office's Casta-Papiernicka (Bratislava region) special centre. "I see huge potential in you, a huge amount of energy," said the president, who also welcomed representatives of the Youth Parliament from Ukraine and stressed that young people could contribute towards stabilising relations between Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Commissioner for Children Jozef Miklosko added that the Czech Republic has appointed a children's commissioner with whom he plans to establish cooperation. "Young people should always be at the forefront. When there are good relationships at the lower levels, I believe it will force politicians to reflect on it," he said. The Parliament of Children and Youth presented several proposals to improve relationships in society. In terms of the family, the young people advocated for more quality time together and mutual respect. They also expressed a desire for more time spent without electronic devices. Regarding education, they called for greater support for both students and teachers. In the public sphere, they would welcome more visibility for psychologists and mentors in the media, as well as accessible extra-curricular activities for socially disadvantaged groups. They called for increased media literacy to be included as a mandatory part of the curriculum, as well as awareness campaigns on internet safety. In terms of politics, they would welcome more ethical communications and transparency. Regarding Slovak-Ukrainian relations, they advocate supporting integration and education. lin/df