The Ambassador of the United States of America in North Macedonia, Her Excellency, Kate Marie Byrnes, today paid a visit to the University of Tetova, where she initially had a meeting with the leaders of the University, the Rector, Prof. Dr. Reshat Qahili, Vice-Rector for International Relations, Prof. Dr. Shefik Shehu, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Dr. Qebir Avziu, coordinator of the Legal Clinic, Doc. Dr. Njomza Selimi – Osmani and director of the Center for Peace and Transcultural Communication, Mr. Sc. Donika Kamberi.
The Rector of UT expressed his gratitude for the support that the US Embassy has given over the years to the University of Tetova in the implementation of several infrastructure projects, such as the Legal Clinic, but also in other areas related to the teaching-scientific process and international exchange programs of students and academic staff. As a sign of gratitude for this fruitful cooperation, the rector to the Ambassador Kate Marie Byrnes bestowed the portrait of the famous humanist, Albanian Nobel Laureate St. Teresa. After this meeting, it was inaugurated the Legal Clinic of the Faculty of Law.
Vice-Rector for International Relations, Prof. Dr. Shefik Shehu said that the real reason that we are here today is the long-awaited establishment of the Legal Clinic, which was made possible by the generosity of American taxpayers, which increasingly engages our academic community in promoting the rule of law and justice. “This moment is meaningful for the opportunity for generations of law students committed to the same principles that define the American people and set apart the revolutionary document that is the Constitution of the United States: Legal equality and the establishment of justice for all citizens,” emphasized Vice-Rector for International Relations, Prof. Dr. Shefik Shehu.
Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Dr. Qebir Avziu said that it is an honor and pleasure for her Excellency, the Ambassador of the United States of America, Mrs. Byrnes, to be present at the Faculty of Law of the University of Tetova. He said that he could not find the right words to express his gratitude to the American people and their support. “This legal clinic is financed by the United States of America and will be a project that will be developed in the coming years and this means that from time to time we will engage judges, prosecutors, lawyers, notaries and various profiles of justice, who will have to come and share their practice, and knowledge with our students.The goal is that students, after graduating from the Faculty of Law, to be ready and to be able to implement justice in practice. The purpose of this legal clinic financed by the USA is that in the future our students to have more internship in the future and to know how the work is done in practice”, said the dean, Prof. Dr. Qebir Avziu.
The US Ambassador in North Macedonia, Kate Marie Byrnes, on the occasion of the inauguration of the Legal Clinic of the University of Tetova said that this clinic that we are inaugurating together today is an important part of all our work to support the juridical sector in Macedonia. “This is an investment for the people who make the most important difference, and they are the new leaders, these prosecutors, judges, lawyers, future civil rights leaders, who have an important place for the involvement in excellent education, , in-depth training, practical experience and that will bring you closer to the people you will serve.I hope that these young people who approach their career in the judiciary with integrity, ethics, they have strong support from the academic community of this university, professors, who spend time and energy on them, volunteers, defense lawyers, to help these young students, and I think that as always, in every country and everywhere in the world, these young people are the best hope, the best promise and the best team”, said the US Ambassador in North Macedonia, Kate Marie Byrnes.
At the end of this activity the students of the Faculty of Law conducted an improvised court session to illustrate how the theory is implemented in practice.
