The Republic Centre – PORAKA is established on 3rd of June 1963, as a Union of Societies for Helping Mentally Retarded Persons in Macedonia. It changes its name into Republic Centre for Helping Persons with Mental Handicap – PORAKA in 1998, and in 2003 changed it to the name it has today. 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the Republic Centre for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA.
In the past 60 years, as an organization for persons with intellectual disability in our country, it has been a leader of numerous initiatives aimed at creating society in which all persons with intellectual disability and their families will have a dignified life.
As a network of local organizations and social services throughout the country, led by committed activists, professionals, and parents of persons with intellectual disability, the Republic Centre – PORAKA contributes to the creation of all significant laws, policies and programmes that refer to human rights of persons with intellectual disability and their implementation on national and local level.
The large number of successfully implemented programme activities, special programmes, projects and established services, speak for the work of the Republic Centre – PORAKA as an important stakeholder in the process of equalisation of opportunities for persons with intellectual disability. The Republic Centre – PORAKA is one of the main promoters and advocates of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in our country.
There is no doubt that the development path of 6 decades and achievements of the Republic Centre – PORAKA are worthy of respect. Therefore, in 2023 the Republic Centre – PORAKA will implement activities for observing this great jubilee. The aim of these activities will be to affirm the results as a base for further successful work and at the same time to include initiatives for advocating and improving the human rights of persons with intellectual disability on national and local level as well as actions for raising public awareness.
One of the activities was the meeting with the President of the Republic of North Macedonia, H.E. Stevo Pendarovski. The meeting was held on 1st of June 2023, within the Open Cabinet of the President. Representatives of the Republic Centre – PORAKA, users of the Day Centres and their educators took part at this meeting. They were presented with historic data about the residence, were informed about the scope of work of President Pendarovski, and visited the premises where official and working meetings are held.
Presenting the Republic Centre – PORAKA’s six decades of work, Cedomir Trajkovski, President, and Vasilka Dimoska De Jong MD, Secretary General of the Republic Centre – PORAKA, informed that a network of local organizations has been created throughout the country, which activities are aimed at raising public awareness regarding the needs and rights of persons with intellectual disability and their families, as well as improvement of legal possibilities for realisation of their human rights, paying special attention of the implementation process of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Expressing his support about the activities of the Republic Centre – PORAKA for greater inclusion of persons with intellectual disability in society life, President Pendarovski emphasized that their work contributes to creating society with equal opportunities for all.
