EU Supports Confidence Building Among Youth in the Western Balkans

Youth workshop promoting lasting reconciliation in the region starts

December 4, 2024

Belgrade, December 4, 2024 – With the support of the European Union (EU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has brought together 35 young people from the Western Balkans region for a three-day workshop titled “Public Advocacy and Promotion of Reconciliation in the Western Balkans.” The workshop aims to educate participants on overcoming the legacy of past conflicts and fostering mutual trust.

The workshop participants include young activists, bloggers, and journalists from Sarajevo, Zagreb, Pristina, Podgorica, Skopje, Belgrade, and other cities in the region.

One of the workshop participants, Lazar Petrović from Niš, expressed his enthusiasm for exchanging views with fellows through respectful dialogue and arguments, emphasising the importance of different perspectives: "Only when young people see their peers as equals, we will create space to build trust, foster reconciliation in the region, and understand that the similarities that connect us are far more important and powerful than the differences between us. This is the foundation for creating a brighter future and, ultimately, a better standard of living."

a group of people posing for the camera — Lazar Petrović, workshop participant

Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, emphasized the importance of youth engagement in reconciliation processes.

"The EU strongly believes that young people, as future political leaders, can be active change agents. Through peaceful dialogue and democratic political engagement, they can develop a climate of trust and the confidence that will ultimately lead to a more peaceful world. This is why the EU supports projects and activities, such as this one, through which young people are encouraged to create a future based on truth, trust, and mutual respect. By coming together to address past challenges and promote reconciliation, young people embody the core values that underpin the European Union", emphasised Halacheva.

a person holding a sign in front of a laptop — Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia

The workshop program features a variety of activities, including expert lectures on transitional justice and recognizing disinformation, skill development sessions on public advocacy for reconciliation, interactive discussions, and cultural events.

"The willingness of young people to view a shared past through the lens of facts and overcome divisions is crucial for reconciling societies in the region. By supporting such activities, we empower young people to shape the future as a generation of peacebuilders, fostering tolerance and driving change in their communities," said Fabricio Andreuzzi, UNDP Serbia Deputy Resident Representative.

a man looking at the camera — Fabricio Andreuzzi, UNDP Serbia Deputy Resident Representative

Within the three-day program, participants will attend a documentary theatre play on Thursday, December 5, titled “My Country: What Youth Think About Patriotism.” In this play performed by Reflektor Theatre, youth from Serbia examine their knowledge of and society’s attitudes toward the conflicts of the 1990s.

This event is organized within the broader regional initiative “EU Support to Confidence Building in the Western Balkans,” funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP.

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