As part of the 4th Open Call of the Superschools programme, RYCO convened educators, institutional representatives, and key stakeholders from across the Western Balkans for the Superschools Education Conference, held on 17–19 May in Zlatibor, Serbia. Building on the momentum of the Superschools Youth Camp and marking 10 years of RYCO and 5 years of Superschools, the conference created a space for reflection, exchange, and forward-looking dialogue on the role of education in fostering reconciliation, intercultural understanding, and regional cooperation. From the outset, the conference placed young people at its core, opening with the interactive session “Superschools: All that we share”, where Youth Camp participants themselves led a dynamic exchange, sharing their experiences directly with educators and decision-makers and reinforcing the human dimension of the programme.
The event opened with warm remarks from DG NEAR Director Ms Valentina Superti, who acknowledged RYCO’s decade of work in youth empowerment and regional cooperation, and five years of the Supershools programme, emphasizing that a shared future is being built every day, one exchange at a time.
The official opening brought together high-level representatives from RYCO, governments, and international partners, reaffirming a shared commitment to strengthening youth cooperation through education.
In his welcoming remarks, the Secretary General of RYCO reminded the participants that this year RYCO marks 10 years of work and 5 years of Superschools program and added that: “Superschools has become one of the strongest examples of RYCO mission in practice, creating spaces where young people learn not only about each other, but with each other. Spaces where cooperation replaces prejudice, and dialogue breaks barriers.”
This was followed by remarks from the European Union, during which Ms. Plamena Halacheva highlighted the role of exchange programmes in strengthening European values and regional cohesion.
“I would like to congratulate RYCO on two remarkable milestones and to commend the teachers and students for creating safe spaces where young people can explore and question. The European Union remains steadfast in its commitment to the youth of the Western Balkans through numerous programmes, because the future of this region and the EU rests in the hands of those who are ready to build it together” – she said.
Mr. Pawel Voronin, First Secretary of the Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany in Serbia reaffirmed its support to youth cooperation in the region, noting that: “The Superschools program is a fantastic example of how to promote regional dialogue, cooperation and trust.”
In this context, the session “Milestones that matter: A 10-year journey of RYCO and 5 years of Superschools” highlighted the programme’s evolution and growing impact, showcasing how continuous support and structured exchanges have translated into tangible results in building trust and long-term connections among young people across the Western Balkans. Marking five years of implementation, the session also reflected on the programme’s key achievements, including four Open Calls, the engagement of 348 schools and more than 5,000 students across the region, while indirectly reaching over 8,000 young people and stakeholders. Through six Teachers Trainings and an overall investment of 2.88 million EUR, Superschools has continued to strengthen regional cooperation through education, dialogue, and youth mobility, positioning itself as one of RYCO’s flagship programmes within its broader 10-year journey of fostering reconciliation and cooperation in the Western Balkans.
The conference continued with “Superschools stories: Journeys, voices, impact”, where teachers and students shared firsthand experiences, offering authentic insights into how the programme has shaped perspectives, challenged stereotypes, and created meaningful change at both individual and community levels.
A central part of the programme focused on addressing systemic challenges and opportunities within education through two dedicated panel discussions. The first panel, “Addressing regional challenges through youth exchanges”, explored how Superschools complements formal education by creating spaces for dialogue, mobility, and experiential learning, contributing to tackling shared challenges across the region. The second panel, “Delivering impact – the implementation approach”, provided a practical perspective on how the programme translates its objectives into measurable results, highlighting the importance of cooperation between schools, institutions, and partners in ensuring sustainable impact.
Beyond the formal sessions, the conference also served as a moment of recognition and celebration, culminating in an evening programme and awards ceremony marking five years of Superschools, acknowledging the commitment and achievements of schools, teachers, and partners who have contributed to the programme’s success. Bringing together voices from classrooms, institutions, and the international community, the Superschools Education Conference reaffirmed the programme’s role as a key driver of regional cooperation through education, while setting the stage for its continued growth and impact. As part of the 4th Open Call, the conference once again demonstrated that meaningful exchange, when embedded within education systems, has the power to build bridges, foster mutual understanding, and contribute to a more connected and resilient Western Balkans.
About the Superschools program
“Superschools” is a program for school exchanges in the Western Balkans. Its objectives are to support peacebuilding, reconciliation, and intercultural learning and dialogue among schools, students, and their communities. The program is part of the 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 the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) together with the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO).
