Tirana, October 1st – The Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), in cooperation with GIZ and with financial support from the European Union and the German Government, hosted the “Youth in Focus: High-Level Coordination Meeting” in Tirana.
The event gathered more than 15 international donors, representatives of the Western Balkans 6 (WB6) National Youth Councils, and government authorities responsible for youth policies. It served as a unique platform for exchanging current and future plans, while enabling youth representatives and organizations to voice their priorities directly to policymakers and donors.
It also marked the official handover of the Youth Donor Coordination Mechanism from the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) to RYCO, reinforcing RYCO’s role as the intergovernmental body mandated to address youth-related issues in the region. This transition ensures continuity while strengthening institutional ownership of youth donor coordination.
This meeting matters because it brings all perspectives together. Around the table are donors who consistently support youth engagement, governments shaping youth policies, and National Youth Councils who best understand young people’s realities – shared RYCO Secretary General in his opening remarks.
RYCO’s newly appointed Deputy Secretary General used the occasion to present the strategic priorities, share ongoing program results, and introduce the concrete recommendations developed by young people during the Youth Forum held earlier this month in Pristina.
Moderated by RYCO’s Head of Programs, the discussion included presentations from each donor and concluded with interventions from youth council representatives. This unique format allowed young people to directly address government representatives, articulating their expectations and needs in a meaningful way.
The European Commission representative emphasized the importance of stronger strategic cooperation ahead, underlining that “a lot remains to be done for the young generation.” She expressed appreciation for the commitment of donors and youth representatives: “Thank you for being present and for not just sitting at the table but contributing.”
Building on this momentum, RYCO announced that it will continue its efforts by hosting the next youth donor coordination meetings, ensuring that the voices of young people remain central to regional cooperation and strategic donor engagement.
This event was supported as part of a multi donor project “Western Balkans School Exchange Scheme” co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) together with the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO).