The Special Initiative of the SEE Path “Youth Participation in Focus” was held from 10th to 12th October 2017 in Serbia. The event included an international conference, workshops and discussions on the topic, and it was organized by Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities.

The international conference gathered institutional representatives and youth participants from the region and the European Union. Bojan Stevic, representative of the Ministry of local self-government of Serbia spoke about the importance of Youth offices in the development of local communities of youngsters, while the representative of the Ministry of youth and sport of Serbia, Snezhana Klashnja stressed the job opportunities as key factor for youth participation.

Stanka Parac Damjanovic, representative of ALDA, focused on the objectives of ALDA to include youngsters in policy making by providing them with skills so that they can participate in decision making on a local level, but also by encouraging collaboration between local authorities and youth offices.

Regional Local Democracy Agencies were present at the conference. The representative from LDA Montenegro, Bozina Stesevic shared thoughts and experiences regarding working with youth and presented the Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue as good practice.

Apart from the conference, several workshops were organized in Belgrade, Sremski Karlovci and Zrenjanin. The events took place within the European Local Democracy Week, so the participants of the Special initiative got the chance to attend workshops and discussions including local authorities and youngsters in the municipalities of Sremski Karlovci and Zrenjanin.

The workshops resulted in conclusions and recommendations for youth participation on a local and national level. The recommendations from the workshops will be published soon.

The event also included a theatre performance of the play “In a better world” of the project LADDER realized in Sremski Karlovci. Check the gallery for photos from the performance.

Useful links:

Photo Gallery
Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities
European Local Democracy Week
Photo Gallery of 6th date of “In a Better World” in Sremski Karlovci
Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue