The OSCE Mission in Montenegro and the Regional Office for the Western Balkan young people in Montenegro have organized the conference “Youth exchanges as an engine of regional cooperation” in Podgorica, and which was attended by a representative of our organization on 13. December 2018.
The conference was opened by Sports Minister Nikola Janović, on that occasion he said: “The value of the Berlin process is best reflected in projects and initiatives such as this that is dedicated to such an important topic such as improving the living conditions of young people. On the subject of young people we can say that we have outlined the results largely achieved thereby providing greater connection requirements, mobility and youth cooperation at both national and regional levels. ”
The Minister said that in the field of mobility Montenegro stands firmly behind its initiatives towards the establishment of the International Institute of Sustainable Technologies in the region of Southeast Europe and pointed out that this initiative can be useful for the entire region, for young people, to create jobs, to boost economy and science.
The audience was addressed by the Secretary-General RYCO Đuro Blanuša who noted that young people from the Western Balkans should be given the opportunity to move freely, to meet, to build bridges of reconciliation and cooperation, and that the institutions it needs to do real and possible.
“The need to work together to reduce interethnic distance, breaking down stereotypes and prejudice, promote tolerance and mutual respect is becoming stronger. Connecting young people, increasing mobility and implementation of intercultural exchange is one of the best ways to solve the aforementioned problems, “said Blanuša.
Head of the OSCE Mission in Montenegro Maryse Daviet congratulated on the current exceptional results and convinced that the Mission continue to provide continuous and stable support RYCO and its structures.
“The OSCE Mission helps RYCO Office in Montenegro in many aspects, including capacity building, information and visibility. The mission has a partnership with RYCO office since its inception, and will continue to do still, “said Daviet. The conference was organized through three panel discussions where participants discussed the Berlin process as a very important process that brought together the countries of the Western Balkans and facilitate cooperation, but also how to be more powerful use of the Berlin process towards achieving concrete results.
Also at the conference also discussed the structure RYCO and results in the previous year as well as obstacles in the work with which they met when it comes to the mobility of young people in the region and regional cooperation. At the very end of the conference the winners of last year’s grant presented their projects, their results and experiences with regard to youth mobility.
The event was attended by representatives of ministries, embassies, diplomatic corps and representatives of civil society.