BELGRADE – Representatives of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Serbia met with Director of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Serbia, Montenegro Mr Norbert Beckmann-Dierkes and Director of the foundation’s office in Albania Mr Tobias Ruttershoff on Thursday. The meeting discussed RYCO’s plans but also explored the ways in how the two organizations can work even closer together in the future.
Representative of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Serbia Ms Ivana Antonijević expressed her gratitude for the support KAS has been providing to RYCO since its establishment and said that RYCO remains open to extend the collaboration.
Mr Beckmann-Dierkes, who is also a member of the RYCO’s Advisory Board, said that RYCO is one of the most visible results of the Berlin Process and that it is built to last.
“RYCO is something that we will need in twenty and more years from now. It is a necessity for the young people from the region,” he underlined.
On the other hand, Mr Ruttershoff said that the problem the Western Balkans is facing is that people talk about each other but not one with another and this is where RYCO offers unique opportunities for them to get together and overcome their differences.
Ms Antonijević acquainted her counterparts with the outcomes of the third RYCO open call for project proposals supported by the Federal Republic of Germany and presented the organization’s plan to further support the schools in the course of the projects’ implementation. She emphasized the importance of RYCO’s continuous work towards strengthening the capacities of schools to work on the topics of reconciliation, dealing with the past and interculturality.
The meeting concluded that enhancing the collaboration between the two organizations will be the priority and is mutually beneficial. Such collaboration will focus on making RYCO more innovative especially in the area of arts but also ensuring greater inclusion of young people interested in political participation in RYCO supported projects.
