WESTERN BALKANS – RYCO and UNFPA, supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, are implementing the second part of the Western Balkans Y-Peer Training of Trainers that gathers 21 young people from the region who will become ypeer trainers. Due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the training is taking place from 30 September to 4 October 2020 in a hybrid format, both online and offline, taking care of the participants’ health and safety.
The first day of the training focuses on issues of identity, values and conflict resolution, where experts and trainers invited the participants to address the key themes of peacebuilding.
“The peacebuilding process in the Western Balkans has to be led by young people. They are the carriers of positive understandings of the world, and the ones that can build better ways of living in the new realities. With the support of RYCO and UNFPA we made the first step by training young professionals who will set a profound example of intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding in the region,” Anina Chileva, ypeer Trainer, highlighted.
The participants also shared their views on the importance of peace in the region and their role in it.
“The training means so much for me, not just because of learning and growing but I have also met young people from all over the Western Balkans who would like to change our situation. We are working tirelessly on making a change, an impact for a better future for all of us,’’ Dejana Stošić, one of the young participants, said.
Upon the completion of the training, the youth will organize local workshops in their communities, utilizing the newly gained skills and knowledge and promoting best innovative ideas of peacebuilding.
The Training of Trainers is undertaken in the framework of “Supporting the Western Balkan’s Collective Leadership on Reconciliation” a joint UN-RYCO project, with the financial support of the UN Peacebuilding Fund, and implemented in partnership with RYCO, UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF.