Podgorica has been declared the European Youth Capital for 2028, the capital announced after a ceremony held in Lviv. The title, one of the most significant European recognitions in the field of youth policies, is awarded to cities that demonstrate a special commitment to young people, their development and inclusion in the creation of inclusive urban policies.
In "Colors of Morning" on TV Vijesti, the President of the Capital City Assembly, Jelena Borovinić Bojović, said that she launched the initiative a year and a half ago and that it is the result of "great teamwork of institutions, the non-governmental and civil sector, and the young people themselves." She announced numerous projects that will relate to youth participation, entrepreneurship, funds for their ideas, the green agenda, and mental health, with the expectation that all of this will contribute to young people staying in Podgorica and Montenegro.
The Secretary General of the Youth Network of Montenegro, Vladimir Perazić, emphasized that the projects will not wait for 2028, but will begin to be prepared immediately, while the implementation will start as early as 2026. He stated that the needs of young people were determined through extensive consultations in schools, universities and through public discussions. The program defines four key areas: participation, entrepreneurship and innovation, sustainable development and common good, and the planned budget is 5,5 million euros.
Borovinić Bojović explained that young people are the "absolute creators of the program," and that two-thirds of the board of directors are made up of them. The project, she says, transcends daily politics and is based on broad cooperation between all stakeholders.
One of the key elements of the application was decentralization, so the projects will be implemented in other municipalities across Montenegro, in cooperation with the Union of Municipalities and local partners.
Speaking about the competition, Perazić said that it was serious, listing Bulgaria, Moldova, Cyprus and the Netherlands among the contenders, but that "the best application won." He also announced the formation of an executive board based on the principles of the Council of Europe, half of which will be made up of youth representatives.
The interlocutors say that work is continuing immediately, and that 2028 will be the culmination of a multi-year process.
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