More than 100 young people from across Serbia came together on Wednesday, November 19, at the Human Rights House in Belgrade for Youth Rights Talks 2025 – one of the largest annual events dedicated to youth human rights. This year’s central theme was young people’s right to freedom of assembly and association.
Throughout the full-day program, dozens of participants discussed key social developments that have marked the past 12 months in Serbia: youth activism through student protests and movements, local initiatives, new forms of organization and resistance, as well as issues of safety, mental health, and their vision for a society in which they want to live, work, and participate.
Sonja Tošković, Executive Director of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, emphasized that at a time when spaces for free assembly and expression are shrinking, Youth Rights Talks 2025 provided a platform for dialogue, the exchange of experiences, and collective reflection on ways young people can unite, support each other, and work together for social change.
Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia
Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, emphasized that across Europe, democracy is facing significant pressures, and its resilience depends on empowering and motivating citizens, ensuring transparency in decision-making, guaranteeing the right to education and unhindered access to information, and building trust between institutions and their citizens.
“Engaging, empowering, and connecting young people is not only a priority for the European Union, but also a conviction that real change comes from initiatives rooted in moments like this – when young people gather to openly discuss the challenges they face, their needs, and their ideas,” she added.
Youth Rights Talks has, for eight consecutive years, provided young people with a platform to freely express their views on current social challenges, to share their perspectives, opinions, initiatives, and personal stories.
Youth Rights Talks 2025 is part of the project Stepping Stones to Youth Diversity in Serbia, supported by the EU Delegation to Serbia. The event also received support from the Ministry of Tourism and Youth. The content of this press release is the sole responsibility of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the Ministry of Tourism and Youth.
