Regional youth co-operation, the digital engagement of young people, and societal changes and opportunities enabled by the generation of young people commonly referred to as millennials were the focus of an international conference held in Belgrade on 13 and 14 December 2017.
Gathering some 100 participants from several countries from the OSCE region, the conference: #OSCEyouth: Regional Connectivity and Millennials, concluded the OSCE Mission to Serbia’s project on enhancing regional connectivity among Serbian and Albanian youth actors.
Special attention was given to both the challenges and success stories of co-operation and dialogue in the Western Balkans, and between young people from Serbia and Albania.
“Young people – millennials – are pioneers of change, including in the way we communicate, equipped with the skills to effectively connect to each other, to shape joint initiatives and policies, and to enthusiastically push for progress in our societies,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Andrea Orizio “The OSCE Mission to Serbia wholeheartedly supports the engagement of young people in such endeavours, recognizing them as indispensable partners in furthering the peace and security agenda.”
Steffen Hudolin of the EU Delegation to Serbia said that, in view of the European integration perspective of the Western Balkan countries, “the European Union welcomes regional cooperation in the Western Balkans and supports it through different initiatives, such as the Berlin Process.“
Hudolin described the Western Balkans Platform for Education and Training as an annual event which bring opportunities for regional cooperation in the field of education, and added that the establishment of the Western Balkans Fund is another example of cooperation, whose main objective is to “advance integration into the European Union, by promoting common values among citizens, civil society and regional actors.“
The project was implemented in partnership with the OSCE Presence in Albania and in close co-operation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Serbia, the National Youth Council of Serbia, the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of Albania, and the National Youth Service of Albania. Humans of Albania and Serbia (youthumans.net) emerged from the project as an independent youth-led initiative.
Through this project, the OSCE has supported the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Youth Co-operation, signed in 2014 by the Governments of Serbia and of Albania, which calls for the promotion and development of joint policies, programmes and actions in the fields of direct interest to youth. The OSCE’s commitment to promote the inclusion of youth in its peace and security agenda dates back to its founding document, the Helsinki Final Act, and has been strengthened through many subsequent OSCE decisions.
The project was financially supported by Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria.
