On 15 March 2022, the Ministry of Regional Development in cooperation with CARITAS Switzerland in Kosovo, launched the projects "Youth Environmental Impact - YENI" and "Municipal Action for Reintegration and Diaspora - MARDI" in a ceremony organized by CARITAS Switzerland.

The ceremony was opened by the Director of the CARITAS Switzerland Program, Ms. Karin Mathis, who praised the cooperation with the Government of Kosovo and line ministries and proudly announced that through the implementation of the project Youth Environmental Impact, it is engaged in environmental issues and climate change in Kosovo in a leading position in education, while in MARDI project, Caritas Switzerland together with partner GERMIN will use the approach to engage with the diaspora and attract foreign investment through the 1 + 1 equality approach (PPP).

The Minister of Regional Development Mr. Fikrim Damka opened the ceremony with a keynote speech, by thanking the Swiss CARITAS for organizing the event, which officially launched two new projects funded by the Ministry of Regional Development and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Similarly, the Minister, Mr. Fikrim Damka, stressed that the main goal of the YENI project is to undertake climate actions and improve environmental protection in Kosovo municipalities through the active engagement of young people. While the MARDI project aims to increase coordination between multiple actors to address the needs of returnees or repatriates, as well as to exploit the untapped potential of the diaspora that can be combined with investment and economic development. 

The project launch ceremony was attended by other institutional actors from the Ministry of Regional Development, Deputy Secretary General Mr. Besim Kamberaj, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Minister Ms. Liza Gashi and from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Political Advisor Mr. Ferdinand Nikolla.

In this ceremony, the teams of YENI and MARDI projects made their presentations where the goals and objectives of these two projects were presented.

The YENI and MARDI projects are financially supported by the Ministry of Regional Development, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Principality of Liechtenstein and Caritas Switzerland.