LocationsPerspectives of young people in the focus of the ReLOaD2 conference in Tirana
November 18, 2022
Tirana, 18 November 2022 – More than a hundred youth activists and representatives of Western Balkans local institutions attended the ReLOaD conference in Tirana on November 16 and 17, envisaged as an opportunity for youth from the region to exchange experiences and engage in direct interaction with decision-makers.
ReLOaD2 - Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans is an initiative funded by the European Union, implemented by UNDP in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo*, North Macedonia and Serbia, with the aim of strengthening the partnership between local authorities and civil society, and especially young people.
Hillen Francke, the Head of the Sector for Civil Society, Social Inclusion & Human Capital Development, of the European Commission, opened the conference and said that young people were in the focus of the EU agenda, given that 2022 is the European Year of Youth.
"This is true also for our engagement with the Western Balkans where Tirana has been named the European Youth Capital in 2022. And youth will continue to be at the heart of the EU's support to the region. The ReLOaD2 project is one of our key regional initiatives in support of civil society, but it also has a strong focus on youth. It successfully manages to promote the role of two crucial actors for the future of the Western Balkans and its European perspective: civil society and youth", she said.
The conference programme provided young people with an opportunity to exchange opinions on the challenges related to participation in the socio-political aspects of community life through several panel discussions and workshops. Starting with the artistic performance of the youth ensemble from Tirana, the young people were part of the dialogue throughout the conference, conveying at the end that it is necessary to make their voice to be heard more often, i.e. that institutions must create new channels of communication with young people.
Although there is still a lot of work to be done in order for young people to reach their full potential in the Western Balkans, the conference also highlighted some positive examples of youth engagement that prove that persistence and work on personal development are always important.
Vladan Djurisic, the representative of the NGO Little Finger, which established the Zabjelo Youth Cultural Center as part of the ReLOaD programme, told the young people that their initiative encountered numerous obstacles, but that it was their perseverance that brought them credibility that the community now notices and appreciates.
Representatives of partner local governments and institutions conveyed that young people sometimes lack motivation and enthusiasm due to the complex situation in the region, stating that existing policies and strategies for young people can only be implemented in synergy with young people.
