BELGRADE – Head of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Serbia Ms Ivana Antonijević and Youth Representative of Serbia in the RYCO Governing Board Mr Marko Kostić met with the German Ambassador to Serbia H.E. Mr Thomas Schieb on Wednesday, 25 August, at RYCO premises in Belgrade.
Ms Antonijević initiated the meeting expressing her gratitude for the continuous support that the German Government has provided to RYCO which in this year reflects in their support through the strategic planning project supported by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as in the Western Balkans School Exchange Scheme co-financed jointly by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). She also informed the Ambassador about the successful completion of the selection of RYCO’s new Deputy Secretary General.
In continuation, Ms Antonijević was happy to share the invitation for H.E. Mr Thomas Schieb to participate in two RYCO important events that Serbia will host in October, following all measures related to COVID-19 developments. Those events are the Regional Strategy Forum and consultative meetings with young people and representatives of the business sector from the Western Balkans.
Mr Marko Kostić shared with the Ambassador more details about the consultative meeting with young people and the business sector and how important it is that RYCO connects with entrepreneurs and the companies from the region and includes them in peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts.
Referring to the words of the German Chancellor Ms Angela Merkel during the Western Balkans Youth Forum 2021, Mr Schieb underlined that indeed RYCO is one of the biggest successes of the Berlin Process and that reconciliation is an important process in the Western Balkans. He also pointed out how important it is to reach those young people who have not had the chance to participate in RYCO activities and hear what RYCO is doing in the region. Mr Schieb has expressed his support to informing more young people in Serbia about RYCO.
In conclusion, Ms Antonijević and Mr Schieb discussed possibilities for the collaboration of the LBO in Serbia and the German Embassy in the following year and affirmed great commitment to collaborate more closely.