Sarajevo marked the final stop of RYCO’s Leadership Regional Tour, bringing together senior leadership, institutional partners, international stakeholders, and program beneficiaries through a series of high-level meetings and engagements.
The visit concluded a regional journey at a significant moment, as RYCO celebrates a decade of its work, reaffirming its commitment to youth cooperation, reconciliation, and intercultural dialogue across the Western Balkans. The Sarajevo visit combined strategic discussions with key institutional and international partners, alongside direct engagement with organizations and initiatives that reflect the impact of RYCO’s work on the ground.
Throughout the visit, RYCO leadership met with high-level representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković, Minister of Civil Affairs Dubravka Bošnjak and Governing Board Member Ivan Ćubela. Discussions focused on strengthening institutional cooperation, advancing youth mobility, and ensuring that youth perspectives remain embedded within national and regional policy processes.
Engagement with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), represented by Secretary General Amer Kapetanović, further emphasized the importance of aligning regional efforts and fostering stronger synergies in support of youth cooperation across the Western Balkans.
The visit also included meetings with key international partners, including the European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office, and diplomatic representatives such as the Ambassador of Germany and the Deputy Ambassador of France, alongside the French Institute Sarajevo. These exchanges highlighted the continued importance of coordinated support for youth engagement, reconciliation, and regional dialogue.
Recognizing the importance of the work of local actors and the special focus given to the issue of memorialization by the work of the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo, RYCO leadership met with the team led by Executive Director Amina Krvavac. This visit provided a powerful reflection on the role of memory, storytelling, and education in fostering understanding and reconciliation among younger generations.
Media outreach was an important component of the visit, with appearances on national television, including the morning program of Federal Television, where RYCO Secreatry General and Head of RYCO Local Branch Office in Sarajevo shared insights on ongoing initiatives and future plans, including strengthening long-term support mechanisms for youth across the region.
The Sarajevo segment, as the final stop of the Regional Leadership Tour, reaffirmed RYCO’s commitment to working closely with partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the region, ensuring that its initiatives remain grounded in local contexts and responsive to the needs and aspirations of young people.
