RYCO has empowered over 31.000 young people and invested more than 7 million euros in exchange programs

The Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) is celebrating its 7th birthday. RYCO was established on July 4, 2016 by the governments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia (known as the Western Balkan 6), within the framework of the Berlin Process. With headquarters in Albania and local offices in Tirana, Sarajevo, Pristina, Podgorica, Skopje and Belgrade, RYCO is the only intergovernmental organization engaged in peace building, reconciliation and cooperation in the Western Balkans through youth exchange programs.

RYCO has so far empowered more than 31.000 young people, investing over 7 million euros in youth exchange programs, at the regional and local level. Four Open Calls were organized to support almost 240 civil society organizations and 115 schools. A new Open Call for civil society organizations will be published soon. As part of its flagship Superschool project, RYCO has connected over 150 schools, 1.000 students and 300 teachers across the region. Through the Regional Incubator for Social Entrepreneurs (RISE) project, RYCO has supported almost 400 young entrepreneurs.

The impact of these figures and efforts in the last seven years can be symbolically presented in the message sent by a participant of the Superschool exchange between Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia.

"This exchange means a lot to me. She helped me a lot to break the religious prejudices I had before participating. Also, there was a fear of language barriers. But, only 10 minutes after I met my peers from Skopje, I realized that there is no difference between us. I believe that the friendships we made will last for a long time," said Adna Oraščanin from the Center for Blind and Visually Impaired Children and Youth from Sarajevo.

RYCO is dedicated to the needs, concerns and dreams of young people in ZB6

More than 6 million young people aged 3,5 to 15 live in the ZB29 region, which make up over 20% of the total population. Albert Hani, General Secretary of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), emphasized that over the years, RYCO has been committed to fostering understanding and unity by offering transformative programs that address their needs, concerns and dreams.

"Today we celebrate togetherness in an effort to build bridges of friendship, break down barriers and empower the next generation to create a brighter European future for the Western Balkans. Continued belief in our mission fuels our efforts, and our team looks forward to future years of collaboration as we create a brighter future," says Mr. Hani.

Deputy General Secretary of RYCO, Denis Piplaš, he pointed out that young people are key actors in building sustainable and peaceful societies.

"Recognizing and supporting young people is an essential step towards the development of a cohesive and prosperous region. Building peace creates an environment in which young people can progress, access quality education, get a job and actively participate in decision-making processes," says Mr. Pipláš.

Improving the position of young people at the local level

RYCO has a local office in Montenegro, where daily activities are organized and projects are implemented. Working together with youth organizations, governments, municipalities and international organizations, we managed to improve the position of young people at the local level.

"Young people in Montenegro recognize RYCO as a source of numerous opportunities and programs for training. We were among the first to establish a program on intercultural dialogue and competencies for young professional athletes, as well as for young journalists. Working with young people who belong to vulnerable groups is a special focus for us, so we organized intercultural camps for young people in several cities in the north and south," he said. Edin Koljenović, Head of the Local Office in Montenegro.

Connecting young people through educational, cultural, civic and social activities empowers them to share experiences, break down prejudices, explore other cultures, learn about each other and reach new levels of personal development. Young people can bring about positive changes and overcome the legacy of the past, but they need to be heard, appreciated, supported and empowered. RYCO will continue to work on it, and as the RYCO slogan says: A better region starts with You(th).

If you would like to learn more about RYCO activities and opportunities for youth, visit www.rycowb.org.