The fourth day of the European Opportunity Week is dedicated to education, youth and sports, and the program started with the signing of two important documents for the youth of Serbia.

Those are the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of European Integration of the Republic of Serbia and the European body – Association of European Border Regions, as well as the Agreement on Youth Volunteering in Interreg Programs (IVY).

The Memorandum and the Agreement were signed in the premises of the European House by Tanja Miščević, Minister for European Integration (MEI) and Martin Guillermo Ramirez, Secretary General of the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), while the Ambassador of the European Union in Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret and the Minister of Tourism and Youth Husein Memić supported this initiative with their presence.

On that occasion, Minister Miščević:

“I am pleased to have signed two memoranda that apparently do not sound important, but define the clear and important support that we are receiving for the first time from the Association of European Border Regions – we, as the Ministry, as well as Serbia. That support relates most broadly to the EU integration process, and we put everything we try to do in the context of the process as such, but not because of the process itself, but because of the results.”

“It also supports us in making cross-border cooperation as attractive as possible, with a few obstacles as possible and as many benefits as possible”, added Minister Miščević.

Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) offers young people the opportunity to volunteer in cross-border, transnational or interregional programs and related projects. Volunteers support, promote and report on the achievements of Interreg programs and projects, and they also generally promote cooperation and related values, across European borders and beyond. While helping their host organizations, volunteers gain a unique experience of personal growth and gain skills that they can use in their future experiences.

“We need to develop cross-border ties”, said Martin Guillermo Ramirez.

He also illustrated the importance of cross-border cooperation through the example of Germany and France, which were in a major conflict several decades ago: “That border area was the poorest. Today, it is highly developed, there are successful, important companies”, said the representative of the Association of European Border Regions.

“Fantastic future is ahead of us, I look forward to the moment when we can celebrate, and I hope we can do it together”, he concluded.

Signing of these two agreements was organized as part of the European Opportunity Week, and the rest of the day will include panels on youth in Interreg, Erasmus+ program, on the Central European University Exchange Program (CEEPUS), as well as other opportunities for studying in the countries of the European Union. There is also talk about the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), the Youth Guarantee, as well as the young European ambassadors (We Balkans).

If you are not able to follow the program live or online, you will be able to find all the sessions on the EU YT channel in Serbia, after October 7.