CDI’s contribution to the “Adriatic-Ionian Region is You(TH)” conference

12.12.2023

On 15&16 November 2023 in Split, took place the “Adriatic-Ionian Region is You(TH)” Conference, organized by EUSAIR under the presidency of the Republic of Croatia. The conference focused on youth engagement, inter-university cooperation, and regional development in the Adriatic and Ionian region.

Based on CDI’s dedicated advocacy for youth participation in European Territorial Cooperation under the initiative “Raising Awareness on the Youth Manifesto in the WB6” and sustained support for Youth engagement in policy-making through the Connecting Youth network, CDI organized a specialized panel discussion to contribute to the Strategy’s goal of establishing the EUSAIR Youth Council.

Entitled “Unlocking Potential: Youth Mobilization in EUSAIR and INTERREG IPA”, the panel featured distinguished panellists representing the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Serbian Ministry of European Integration, the University “St. Kliment Ohridski” Bitola (North Macedonia), the Youth Network of Montenegro and the Albanian National Youth Congress.

Several key messages crucial for shaping the EUSAIR Strategy’s engagement with young people were highlighted:

• The importance of effectively communicating EUSAIR strategy to the youth.
• The significance of open cohesion data to promote active citizenship & enhance institutional accountability.
• The importance of students’ active involvement in university projects.
• The application of co-design & co-management formats in various collaborative initiatives with young people.
• Familiarization with available policy mechanisms and their effective utilization.
• Acknowledging that investment in infrastructure should be accompanied by investment in human capital.
• Recognition of Youth Councils as essential stakeholders for effective youth involvement in EUSAIR.

The panel discussion underscored the pressing need and eagerness for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to youth engagement, emphasizing knowledge sharing, partnership building, capacity development, expertise inclusion, and collaborative policymaking to address the challenges in the Adriatic and Ionian region.