KOTOR – The RYCO Local Branch Office in Montenegro, supported by the French Embassy in Montenegro, organized the fifth Intercultural Youth Hub, which took place in Kotor from 12 to 14 November. The event brought together a diverse group of young people belonging to different groups and backgrounds from all over Montenegro and with different experiences, to work on their intercultural skills and competences, to connect among each other and to promote the values of tolerance, cooperation, human rights in their communities afterwards.
The official opening of the event was attended by the Head of RYCO Local Branch Office in Montenegro Mr Edin Koljenović and Charge d`Affaires at the French Embassy in Montenegro Mr Laurent Goncalves.
During the opening remarks, Mr Koljenović highlighted that youth cooperation faced great challenges recently, due to COVID-19 pandemic. Cooperation between RYCO and the French Embassy continues and Intercultural Youth Hub is one of its brightest products.
“This event and energy created among participants proved that is presents a strong instrument for enhancing social connections, intercultural dialogue, as it allows young people from Montenegro to meet, share their experiences and strengthen bonds while becoming united in their joint mission of making our society more resilient and more prosperous” Mr Koljenović underlined.
Addressing the participants, he presented the work of RYCO, focusing on the partnership that the RYCO Local Branch Office in Montenegro has developed with the French Embassy in Montenegro since its establishment.
In continuation, Mr Goncalves presented the work of the French Embassy with the focus on opportunities that are offered to youth in Montenegro. He also shared some notions on the overall mission that lies behind the RYCO that has been inspired by the Franco-German experience of supporting youth cooperation in this part of Europe.
Through the three-day program consisting of interactive workshops and debates, participants had the opportunity to get to know one another, build trust among each other. The Intercultural Youth Hub also provided young people with an opportunity to engage and build their capacities in areas of youth participation and activism, as well as to raise their awareness on opportunities for participation in different national and regional mobility programs offered by RYCO.
The participants of the event were delegated by the Secondary Mixed School “Ivan Goran Kovačić”, Secondary Vocational School “Spasoje Raspopović” Podgorica, and Center for Affirmation of Roma and Egyptian population (CAREP) Nikšić, Children’s Home “Mladost” Bijela, Secondary Vocational School Berane, NGO “EUROMOST” Bijelo Polje.
