The Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) has published the Western Balkans Youth Forum 2026 Recommendations, bringing forward a shared youth vision for a more inclusive, peaceful, innovative and sustainable region by 2030.
The recommendations were developed by young people from across the Western Balkans during the Western Balkans Youth Forum, held in Budva, Montenegro, from 4 to 7 June 2026. Organised within the framework of the Berlin Process under Montenegro’s 2026 Chairmanship, the Forum brought together young leaders, students, activists, entrepreneurs, researchers and representatives of youth organisations, alongside governments, regional organisations, civil society and international partners.
Using a participatory and future-oriented approach, the young participants identified practical actions across three interconnected areas:
- Skills, Opportunities and Innovation;
- Peace, Security and Inclusive Societies;
- Green and Sustainable Development.
Their proposals range from establishing a Regional Compact on Youth Skills, Mobility and Career Development and a Regional Youth, Peace and Security Framework to creating a Regional Youth Green Transition Fund. The recommendations also call for stronger mental health services, improved media and civic literacy, greater support for youth-led innovation, more accessible regional mobility and permanent mechanisms for youth participation in policymaking.
At the heart of the publication is a clear message: young people must be recognised not only as beneficiaries of policies, but as partners in designing, implementing and monitoring them.
“This publication should be seen not as the conclusion of a dialogue, but as the beginning of the next phase of cooperation,” said RYCO Secretary General Vladimir Obradović. “The recommendations provide a practical roadmap for advancing a shared vision for the Western Balkans by 2030.”
The publication now invites governments, educational institutions, civil society organisations, regional actors and international partners to translate youth priorities into measurable action. It also reinforces RYCO’s continued commitment to creating spaces where young people can connect, cooperate and influence the decisions shaping their lives.
The Western Balkans Youth Recommendations 2026 are now available:
👉 Download the Long Version of The Youth Recommendations Read the Full Document
👉 Download the Short Version of The Youth Recommendations Explore the Short Version