On 1 June, the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) organised a third conference on disinformation in cooperation with the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa, the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The conference brought together over 100 participants, including key experts, academics, journalists, researchers, representatives of youth organisations from the Western Balkans, students, and practitioners from the region and beyond.

“The Western Balkans has unfortunately always been susceptible to divisive narratives that bring hatred and violence and it is our constant responsibility to cultivate understanding and awareness of this phenomenon in our region. The good news is that Western Balkan citizens have understood the detrimental potential of disinformation – as 74% of them agree disinformation poses a security threat to their economies,” said Amer Kapetanović, Head of the Political Department of the Regional Cooperation Council, at the opening of the conference.

After two years of organising these conferences with the aim of raising awareness about the phenomenon of disinformation, this year’s conference focused on a more practical level and capacity building, primarily aimed at youth and students from the Western Balkans.