The EU With YOU Hub opened in Podgorica on 5 November, bringing together civil society representatives, journalists, Young European Ambassadors and EU representatives from across the Western Balkans. Over two days, participants are sharing stories about people driving change in their communities and working together to bring those stories to a wider audience.
Frederike Wuenschmann, Human Rights and Rule of Law Policy Officer at the EU Delegation to Montenegro, gave the opening remarks alongside Marie Brancaleone from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST) and WeBalkans Team Leader Raluca Costache. Young European Ambassadors Esti Piranej and Bogdan Malavrazić hosted the opening and led a short quiz on the Western Balkans and the EU.
Journalist, editor and author Brano Mandić kicked off the day’s discussions with Free2Speak, a lightning talk on freedom of expression and why it matters to keep space open for public debate.
The first panel, “Equal opportunities for all – EU support for inclusive communities,” looked at the barriers that still keep Roma communities from participating on equal terms. Moderated by Arian Rexhepi from WeBalkans, the discussion brought together Suad Skenderi from Romalitico, Anja Basha from the Albanian Human Rights Group, Daliborka Uljarević from the Centre for Civic Education, journalist Branko Čečen and Maida Muminović from the Media Center Foundation Sarajevo. The session also featured the regional story Beyond Barriers: Roma Resilience in the Western Balkans.
The next panel, “From citizens to changemakers – how EU support enables local action,” looked at how an idea that starts in one community can grow and bring people together across borders. The Western Balkans Youth Orchestra offered an example of how music can do that for young people in the region.
Selena Tasić Stevanić from WeBalkans moderated the discussion with Lundrim Rexha from Artium Eudora and the Western Balkans Youth Orchestra, Vladimir Perazić from the National Youth Council of Montenegro, Bulza Çapriqi from the Kosovar Civil Society Foundation, Young European Ambassador alumna Daniela Kortoci and Slobodan Blagovčanin from the Youth Resource Center Tuzla.
The Regional Dialogue on EU support for reforms and concrete initiatives in fundamental rights brought together representatives of EU Delegations and Offices from Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In a discussion moderated by Marie Brancaleone, they shared examples of reforms and initiatives they support and compared the challenges they face across the region.
From breaking down barriers to Roma participation to bringing young musicians together across borders, the opening discussions gave concrete examples of what the Hub’s theme means in practice: “A story of people moving the region forward.”
