In 2013, the Republic Center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability marks 50 years of active work. The Republic Center – PORAKA is established on 3rd of June 1963 as Union of Societies for Helping Mentally Retarded Persons in Macedonia. In 1998, it changes its name to Republic Center for Helping Persons with Mental Handicap – PORAKA and in 2003 it became Republic Center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA.
In the past 50 years the Republic Center – PORAKA, as a movement for the rights of persons with intellectual disability in Republic of Macedonia, holds numerous initiatives aimed at creating a society where persons with intellectual and their families will have dignified life. As a network of local organizations throughout the country, guided by dedicated professionals and parents of persons with intellectual disability, the Republic Center – PORAKA contributed towards creating most of the relevant legislations, policies and programmes in Republic of Macedonia referring to human rights of persons with intellectual disability and their realization on national and local level. The large number of successfully implemented programme tasks, special programmes, projects and established services, speak for the work and functioning of the Republic Center – PORAKA as a significant stakeholder in the process of equalization of opportunities for persons with intellectual disability.
PORAKA’s evolving path of half a century is undoubtedly worthy of respect. Therefore, in 2013, the Republic center – PORAKA shall organize activities for adequate observation of this great jubilee. The aim of these activities will be to endorse the accomplishments, as a base for further successful work.
Moreover, within the observation of the jubilee, as a kind of completion of 50 years of work, the Republic Center- PORAKA organizes several important activities: research and analysis concerning the situation in Republic of Macedonia in relation to the implementation of UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, initiatives for creating a pilot service for early intervention and establishing another day center for adolescents and adults with intellectual disability in Skopje.
