TIRANA – RYCO Secretary General Mr Đuro Blanuša met on Wednesday with Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania Ambassador Bernd Borchardt. They discussed joint projects of RYCO and the OSCE Presence as well as further ways of cooperation between the two organizations. RYCO and the OSCE Presence in Albania, in cooperation with the Municipality of Tirana, are organizing the Youth Trail project1 which will be held 13 – 17 September in Tirana.
At the meeting, Secretary General Mr Blanuša updated Ambassador Borchardt about ongoing RYCO activities and presented activities planned to be implemented by the end of the year among which is the strategic planning process.
Ambassador Borchardt informed Mr Blanuša that OSCE Presence in Albania is interested in the cooperation with RYCO due the fact that the two organization are working on the same issues such as providing young people with more opportunities to meet each other and expanding these opportunities to rural and marginalized communities which are of great importance to the work of the OSCE in Albania and the region.
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1 The Youth Trail is a learning, exchange and fun week in Tirana for 40 young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia. The project is organized on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the OSCE Presence in Albania and it promotes the OSCE values of democracy and cooperation, and the important role young people play in promoting peace and security in the region. Youth Trail participants, through interactive sessions, simulations and outdoor activities, will explore areas such as activism, youth engagement in the fight against corruption, countering violent extremism and radicalization.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.