RYCO Local Branch Office in North Macedonia organized a five-day Regional Summer Camp in Mavrovo, North Macedonia in partnership with forumZFD and GIZ Sport for Development Programme for Western Balkans. The camp gathered 55 participants from Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo*, Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and North Macedonia.
The opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Vladimir Gjorgjevski, Head of RYCO Local Branch Office in Skopje, Mr. Filip Ivanovski, Junior Advisor, GIZ – Sport for Development Programme for Western Balkans and Mr. Harald Schenker, Country Director for North Macedonia, forumZFD.
Their remarks emphasized the importance of organizing this camp and the safe space it creates for young people to discuss and get to know each other and celebrate their similarities and embrace their differences.
Young people had the chance to tackle topics like Interculturality and Social Inclusion, Reconciliation through conflict transformation, and Community Engagement by working through creative training that offered tools and knowledge for their personal and professional development.
The Regional Summer Camp strengthened regional youth cooperation, offered opportunities for youth engagement, and stimulated critical thinking in addition to nurturing values and openness to address sensitive topics in the Western Balkans.
Participants took home an exceptional experience in getting to know their peers from Western Balkans and breaking any obstacles that would set them apart but instead bring them closer together.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
