Pristina, June 10, 2025 – The International Labour Organization (ILO), with financial support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation/Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has launched a new development cooperation initiative to promote youth employment in Kosovo.
The project “Ho(spitable) Re(silient) Ca(pable): Support for the integration of young people into the labor market in the hospitality sector” targets the hospitality, restaurant, and catering sector (HoReCa), which is rapidly growing in Kosovo and holds significant employment potential.
The initiative focuses on three key areas:
- Modernizing education and vocational training in the hospitality sector through the enhancement of infrastructure, updating curricula, and creating teaching and learning materials better suited to labor market needs;
- Improving youth employment by increasing access to work-based learning, career guidance, and specific protections, with particular attention to inclusion, gender equality, and the principles of decent work;
- Strengthening entrepreneurship and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the HoReCa sector through targeted business development services that promote innovation, resilience, and the creation of sustainable jobs.
At the official launch event, representatives from government institutions, training bodies, private sector stakeholders, and development partners gathered to discuss the project’s goals and its expected impact.
The Italian Ambassador to Pristina, Maurizio Antonini, emphasized that “the project aims to train and professionally integrate hundreds of young people, building bridges between market demand and new generations. In a young and dynamic country like Kosovo, this means building the future, which is the main goal of our partnership with Kosovo.”
