RYCO Secretary General, Albert Hani participated in 33rd Economic Forum, three-day event that gathered together in Polish city Karpacz more than 6.000 participants from Poland and around the world, including high officials, politicians and government officials, policy and decision makers, corporate representatives, academic community, NGO representatives and many other stakeholders to discuss major challenges shaping the present and future.
This year’s Economic Forum is held under moto “Time for new leaders: shaping the future together”, highlighting innovations, cutting-edge technologies involving AI, but also many other relevant topics related to economy, politics and society, including youth. Forum includes various debates, numerous panel discussions and workshops that take place from 3rd to 5th September.
How to support social activism among youth was a main topic of panel discussion in which SG Hani contributed as a speaker. Panel discussion provided comprehensive outlooks on mechanism for supporting young people and involving them in the process of decision making and public processes.
Presenting the role of RYCO in the Western Balkans region, SG Hani highlighted the importance of youth empowerment through engagement in various activities, including exchange activities that foster cooperation, intercultural learning and knowledge to become active citizens and leaders in their communities. RYCO, as he said, for the past eight years has been providing opportunities for young people in WB6, and involved thousands of young people in different projects and activities in the field of education, culture, social activism, and many more. Further, as he stated, various research showed that despite low percentage of active youth, more than 65% of young people in Western Balkans want to be more actively involved in society.
Touching upon the main topic of the Forum, SG Hani stated that young people are advocates of change and that fast-paced innovations and approaches can’t be properly integrated without youth involvement, especially when it comes to policy and decision-making processes.
“It is important to enable paths for young people to bring innovations and new trends and also to teach politicians how to integrate future elements in work environment,” said SG Hani.
During the panel discussion, SG Hani demonstrated how youth involvement and support works in practice by giving his panel turn to young audience participant to express opinion and share concerns that young people are facing in their environment.
Panel gathered together prestigious speakers from academic, civic and political backgrounds, including Christina Diggs from New York University, political official and educator, Miroslawa Stachowiak-Rozecka and Svetlana Stefanovic from Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence.
