Youth Voices Present at the Berlin Process Leaders’ Summit in London 2025

London, United Kingdom – October 22, 2025 

The Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), one of the main tangible outcomes of the Berlin Process, participated in the Berlin Process Leaders’ Summit, hosted under the United Kingdom’s Presidency 2025, reaffirming its commitment to advancing youth and regional cooperation across the Western Balkans. 

Represented by Secretary General Vladimir Obradović, who delivered a speech at the Summit, RYCO’s delegation also included Deputy Secretary General Kreshnik Loka and Youth Representatives from the region, symbolizing the shared vision of governments and young people working hand in hand toward a more connected and inclusive future. 

Held under the theme “Security and Growth in Partnership,” the 2025 Leaders’ Summit gathered heads of governments, ministers, and European partners to discuss the Western Balkans’ path toward stability and prosperity. 

The Berlin Process, established in 2014, has continued to serve as a vital diplomatic platform for dialogue and cooperation, aimed at accelerating economic development, strengthening regional ties, and advancing European integration of the WB. 

Throughout 2025, the UK Presidency of the Berlin Process hosted a series of ministerial-level meetings covering foreign, interior and economic policy, culminating in this week’s Leader’s Summit. Multiple side events took place leading up to the Summit, including forums on business, civil society, youth engagement and gender equality. 

While the youth agenda had been reflected across different Berlin Process forums, the most significant contribution came from the Western Balkans Youth Forum 2025, organized by RYCO within the Berlin Process framework. Held in Pristina from 16–19 September 2025 enabled dialogue, peer learning, and co-creation of policy recommendations 

Over a hundred youth leaders, policymakers, and experts from all six Western Balkan societies gathered to co-create concrete policy recommendations on three main topics: migration, security, and economic growth and development. They developed actionable proposals to tackle brain drain, strengthen peacebuilding and resilience, and promote entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and green innovation as pathways to sustainable progress.

The 2025 Forum also emphasized participatory design and youth ownership. Leading up to the event, RYCO engaged young people across the region through local consultations, surveys, and outreach campaigns, ensuring that the program reflected both grassroots perspectives and high-level policy discussions. Participants engaged in masterclasses, workshops, interactive panels, and advocacy labs, producing concrete policy recommendations and fostering lasting regional partnerships. 

During his address, RYCO Secretary General Vladimir Obradović, reflected on the challenging realities faced by young people today and called on leaders to show greater political and financial commitment to youth cooperation.

“RYCO, together with our German partners, is leading efforts to establish a Regional Youth Trust Fund, a concrete, operational response to the issues driving migration. The Fund will provide a transparent, regionally owned, and donor-supported financing mechanism that ensures continuity of youth initiatives in reconciliation, mobility, and economic empowerment. Our goal is simple, turn brain drain into brain gain.” 

In the Chair’s Conclusions of the Leaders’ Summit, RYCO was acknowledged as a key regional mechanism advancing youth cooperation, mobility, and reconciliation across the Western Balkans. Leaders also welcomed the ongoing efforts under RYCO’s Cultural Fund, which fosters creative exchange and social cohesion among young artists and cultural professionals. The Summit further highlighted the importance of youth engagement in advancing the UN Youth, Peace and Security Agenda, encouraging support for the RYCO Trust Fund and increased contributions to the Cultural Fund as sustainable instruments for long-term regional cooperation. 

RYCO’s presence at the Leaders’ Summit, together with its youth representatives, reaffirmed the very essence of the Berlin Process: a partnership across generations working toward a more secure, prosperous, and united Western Balkans. Youth cooperation is not a side story – but a driving force behind the region’s future. The recommendations shaped in Pristina reflect more than policy proposals, they embody a shared vision for a region that is connected, innovative, and resilient. 

Full Speech of the Secretary General:

Download the full speech here

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