Regional Youth Cooperation Office - RYCO

19/09/2025

Day 3 Highlights 🙌🏻⬇️

The day opened with an inspiring Morning Inspiration from young activist Mila Mihajlović, whose words set a thoughtful and energizing tone for the discussions ahead.

This was followed by a dynamic panel on youth’s role in promoting peace and security in the Western Balkans. The discussion featured: Igor Bandović, Director of the Belgrade Center for Security Policy; Klajdi Priska, Youth Representative in the Governing Board of RYCO; Jeton Zulfaj, Political Advisor at the Office of the Prime Minister; Kristian Lazarev, President of the Association for Accessibility and Inclusion

The conversation was expertly moderated by Donika Emini, researcher at the University of Graz and member of the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group.

💡 In the afternoon, participants broke into thematic groups to address pressing regional challenges: migration and mobility, security and inclusion, and economic growth and development. Through collaborative dialogue, they crafted actionable solutions and policy recommendations, which will be elevated to decision-makers in upcoming high-level meetings, including the Leader’s Summit in London.

18/09/2025

As part of the Youth Forum, we teamed up with selected CSOs who expressed their interest in co-designing the Forum with RYCO. 💡

Through the lens of their work at the local level, young people had the chance to dive into discussions, surface key issues, and propose fresh ideas for change.

It was a true peer-to-peer learning experience where knowledge flowed both ways.

👉 Swipe to explore the topics brought forward by each of the selected CSOs!

18/09/2025

✨ Day 2 of the kicked off with an outstanding motivational talk by Kaon Krasniqi , a young innovator who truly captured everyone’s hearts. His vision on how education can be improved was nothing short of inspiring.

🎤 Following this, the panel “Roots and Routes: Youth, Skills & Stability” brought together brilliant voices:
➢ Mr. Ognjen Marković, RCC – Team Leader of Western Balkan Youth Lab 2
➢ Ms. Blerina Hoxha, Founder of BLOconomy
➢ Ms. Silvana Mojsovska, Professor at the Institute of Economics – Skopje
➢ Mr. Mirza Mulešković, Executive Director and Economic Analyst at Inteligencija MNE

💬 Moderated by Ms. Berina Bukva Alibasic, UNICEF and Adolescent Development and Participation Specialist.

Together, we explored the crucial link between youth, skills, and stability and how investing in young people means investing in the future of the Western Balkans. 🌍

17/09/2025

🔹First day of the Youth Forum continued with the panel on Youth as Regional Connectors in the Berlin Process Era🗣️, featuring newly appointed RYCO Deputy Secretary General Kreshnik Loka, who emphasized that youth are not just connectors but strategic players in building a more peaceful and integrated region.

👉Panel discussion also included FCDO, Advisor on the Western Balkans and Berlin Process for the UK - Mia Marzouk, German MFA Head of Western Balkans Development - Niels Von Redecker, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Pristina - Tankut Soykan and Young European Ambassador Adrijana Nikitović, who sent the joint message on importance of continued support to young generation that builds bridges and foresters regional cooperation.

More in the upcoming posts 🙌🏻

17/09/2025

Your voice, your youth vibes 🫡🫡💙

17/09/2025

Young people are not waiting for change — they are building it 🤟🏽✨

Organized by RYCO with the support of the within the framework of Berlin Process, Forum brought together more than 100 participants, including young people from the region, WB6 governments representatives, ambassadors and representatives of EU institutions, regional and international organizations and civil society representatives with an aim to strengthen the role of young people as co-creators of peaceful, stable, and prosperous societies in the Western Balkans.

Opening the forum, the newly appointed RYCO Secretary General, Vladimir Obradović, emphasized the important role of young people as co-creators of the region’s prosperity having in mind the critical moment where youth unemployment remains alarmingly high and brain drain tendencies greatly concerning. Thus, as he stated, Forum represents a space for real dialogue and action, turning discussions into concrete results.

"We have to move fast. The world will not wait for us to catch up. We have extraordinary youth in our region, full of energy, talent and ideas." - stated the Speaker of the Assembly Mr. Dimal Basha in his welcoming remarks.

In his opening speech, H.E. Jonathan Hargreaves, 🇬🇧Ambassador to Pristina stated that UK is honored to host Berlin Process this year, highliting the importance of this platform for regional stability, economic development, dialogue, cooperation and youth empowerment.

🇩🇪 German Ambassador Jörn Rohde reaffirmed Germany’s long-standing support for the Western Balkans, praising RYCO as a “shining example” of empowering youth to shape peace and prosperity.

🇫🇷 French Ambassador Olivier Guérot recalled the Franco-German model that inspired RYCO’s creation, stressing the importance of equipping young people to fight misinformation in today’s digital age.

RYCO Youth Representative Donika Zogu reminded that Western Balkans youth are not waiting for change — they are driving it, turning challenges into opportunities and calling for a youth pact to build a future of cooperation and hope.

More coming in the next posts 🙌🏻

13/09/2025

This week, RYCO welcomed its Governing Board 👉 Minister of State for Youth and Children Bora Muzhaqi and Youth Representative Klajdi Priska, on a visit to the Head Office. These were the first meetings in a series that will continue across the region in the coming period.

RYCO Secretary General, Vladimir Obradović, and Deputy Secretary General, Kreshnik Loka, led the discussions, which focused on strengthening youth empowerment, advancing regional cooperation, and ensuring that young people remain at the heart of decision-making in the Western Balkans.

This visit marks the start of an important dialogue that will continue throughout the region, as RYCO works together with governments, civil society, and youth to build a more connected and cooperative future.

10/09/2025

The call for the 2025 Volunteerism of the Year Awards is now open!

This initiative, organized by TOKA aims to strengthen and expand participation in volunteerism across .

As a proud Volunteerism Friend, RYCO invites youth, businesses, municipalities, diaspora representatives, public figures, and lifelong volunteers to apply for the awards, recognizing their contribution to community improvement through voluntary work.

📅 Deadline for applications or nominations: September 30, 2025

The awards ceremony will be held on December 5, 2025.

🔗 The application link can be found in the bio at TOKA

04/09/2025

"Meet the Superschools" event in Podgorica honored the 9 selected high schools from Montenegro as part of the 4th Open Call of Superschools Program. 💯

Organised by RYCO and GIZ, the event brought together and leaders who applauded principals and teachers for mentoring the next generation. As RYCO Program Coordinator put it, Superschools 🤝 teachers are the ones who ensure that every student feels safe and comfortable, that every exchange is engaging and educational.

Mr. Riccardo Serri, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the 🇪🇺 to Montenegro, speaking on behalf of the EU as a long-standing partner, reflected on the achievements of previous cycles: "The results of the first cycles of this programme speak for themselves: more than 120 projects supported, 240 exchanges implemented, and over 3,000 students and 480 teachers involved."

Addressing the directors and teachers present, Mr. Darko Stojanović, Director General of the Directorate for Youth and Cooperation with NGOs at the Ministry of Sports and Youth, stressed that the Ministry remains a dedicated partner in this project, thanking those who have already participated in previous cycles.

Mr. Ralf Reusch, Deputy Ambassador of the Federal Republic of 🇩🇪, emphasized: "The RYCO Superschools program is such a project. It strengthens the initiative of students and teachers and gives participants the opportunity to develop an individual and authentic view of the region, its history, and the future of the Western Balkans."

Closing the opening remarks, Mr. Dragan Marković, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation of Montenegro, underlined that the Ministry highly values RYCO’s mission.

/////
This programme is part of a multi-donor project, co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) together with RYCO.

04/09/2025

📢 RISE Alumni Awards 2025 are here!

💡Together with RISE - Regional Incubator for Social Entrepreneurs we are thrilled to celebrate young changemakers from the Western Balkans who continue to shape the future of social entrepreneurship.

🧩 Two winning alumni teams will each receive €5,000 to scale their social enterprises and increase their regional impact.

📅 Applications are open until 6 September 2025 (23:59 CET).

👉 Eligible alumni from Journey #3 & #4, contact your Local Incubator to apply!

🔗 Visit our website for more details and the full call for applications.

The Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) is pleased to announce the launch of the RISE Alumni Awards 2025, an opportunity for young changemakers from the Western Balkans to further develop their social enterprises and increase their regional impact. This initiative is implemented jointly by t

03/09/2025

"Meet the Superschools" event in Sarajevo honored the 20 selected high schools from Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the 4th Open Call of Superschools Program. 💯

These inspiring projects will promote peacebuilding, reconciliation and intercultural learning through the Western Balkans School Exchange Scheme. 🕊️

Organised by RYCO and GIZ, the event brought together hashtag and hashtag leaders who applauded principals and teachers for mentoring the next generation. As RYCO Head of the Local Office put it, Superschools build bridges not only between schools and communities, but between young people who will shape the region’s future with their ideas, openness and energy. 🤝

Emina Kumrić, Head of the Youth Mobility Department at the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, highlighted that the Superschools exchange program focuses on youth, and its benefits are numerous: it brings young people together, fosters connection, promotes intercultural learning and dialogue between schools and their communities, and supports the development of tolerance, mutual understanding, and peacebuilding processes in the region.

"Superschools is a catalyst for peace in the Western Balkans and represents added value in the process of strengthening education—a topic featured in the EU’s” annual reports on BiH” – stated Aurelie Valtat,Head of the Section for European Integration, Political and Economic Affairs – EU Delegation, in her speech.

/////
This programme is part of a multi-donor project, co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) together with RYCO.

Njemačka Ambasada Sarajevo

Sarajevo – This year, twenty schools from Bosnia and Herzegovina have been awarded the title “Superschools”, and their proposed projects—which aim to contribute to peacebuilding, reconciliation, intercultural learning, and dialogue within the framework of the Western Balkans School Exchange ...