National Assembly Speaker and Working Group Chair Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic said that today at 4 p.m. girls around the world afflicted with the rare disease would take symbolic steps up the stairs of important state institutions demonstrating that though difficult, these steps are possible.

The sitting was attended by the President of the Serbian Medical Chamber Prim. Dr Tatjana Radosavljevic, President of the Serbian Health Council Prof. Dr Dragan Delic and representative of the Serbian Medical Diaspora Dr Mirjana Andrejevic, who were pleased and grateful that the National Assembly commemorated this day.

Following the Working Group sitting, girls afflicted with Rett syndrome took their first steps on the stairs in front of the National Assembly House, with the help of their parents, volunteers and defectology students, in the presence of the members of the National Assembly’s Children’s Rights Working Group. On the occasion, the assembly was addressed by the Working Group Chair, National Assembly Speaker, while Maja Pavlovic, on the behalf of the Serbian Rett Syndrome Association, said that today’s symbolic event titled Blue Sky Girls aimed to raise public awareness of this difficult developmental disorder. The girls demonstrate how hard every move is but that they are brave enough to persevere in their climb toward a better life, concluded Pavlovic.

The International Rett Syndrome Awareness Day is an annual event, taking place on 15 October. Rett syndrome is manifested as a loss of purposeful hand movements, speech, as well as a communication and walking disorder and appears in girls after their second year. The International Rett Syndrome Awareness Day was commemorated in the organisation of the Serbian Rett Syndrome Association and Mother and Child Health Care Institute of Serbia “Dr Vukan Cupic”, with the support of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.