Skopje – The Local Branch Office in Skopje, North Macedonia, hosted the Peace Line project implemented by the German War Graves Commission and funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
The event took place on June 26, 2023, at Europe House in Skopje and followed a very fruitful discussion about regional cooperation and neighborly relations in this political climate.
Namely, the Yellow Route of the Peace Line project aims to get to know the Balkan history, and how competing remembrance shapes the societies of the peninsula to this day and takes you through a large part of the Balkans where you will also learn about the disintegration of Yugoslavia and the associated wars.
Participating in the panel discussion were Ms. Anja Bebekovska, Program Officer RYCO Local Branch Office in Skopje, Ms. Anelija Mitrova, Program Coordinator, Youth Alliance Krushevo, and H.E. Petra Drexler, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to North Macedonia.
The discussion gave space for the participants from the Yellow Route of Peace Line, to get to know the local context, ask questions about youth participation and how much youth is involved in regional cooperation, recognizing that Germany is a very valuable partner not just to RYCO as an organization but also to North Macedonia.
Ms. Anja Bebekovska had the chance to present RYCOs activities and opportunities for young people in the Western Balkan and also give positive examples and outcomes from RYCOs activities that affect young people when it comes to peacebuilding, dealing with the past, reconciliation, and intercultural dialog.
Ambassador Petra Drexler noted the importance of having RYCO as a partner when it comes to regional cooperation and filling the gap where young people are excluded when it comes to regional cooperation and mobility.