President receives kids from summer camp in Roma village

Pirc Musar said she believed that completing primary education brought knowledge and broadened horizons.

"Whenever I have the opportunity, I appeal to Roma parents to send their children to school and insist that they complete their primary education," she told the press.

As for peer violence, Pirc Musar said it was not limited to a certain ethnic group, in reference to a June incident where a Roma pupil attacked another pupil.

She believes everyone should be more sensitive to peer violence, which is why she discussed the subject with children, but mainly from an educational perspective.

Pirc Musar also urged the children to add "one more stone to the mosaic of tolerance and coexistence of different cultures and ethnic groups in our beautiful homeland".

The five-day summer camp has offered a number of workshops, ranging from education, art and sport, as well as a visit to a local zoo near Radenci.

Nataša Horvat, a councillor representing the Roma community in the Lendava city council, expressed gratitude for the reception at Presidential Palace.

The Roma culture association Romnji from Dolga Vas marks its 10th anniversary and has organised summer camps for children for seven years, she said.

The summer camps are not intended only for Roma children but also for children from the majority population, which is why they are so well attended.

This year's summer camp took place at the Dolinsko Roma Centre in Dolga Vas and at nearby sport courts in what was a collaboration of Romnji, the Lendava People's University and the municipality of Lendava, with several organisations helping organise the workshops.