Youth from Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia Share Messages of Peace

ALBANIA/NORTH MACEDONIA/SERBIA – Supported by RYCO and the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund through the second RYCO Open Call for Project Proposals, Youth for Social Changes from Albania, in partnership with Isa Boletini High School from Albania, St. Naum Ohridski High School from North Macedonia and Secondary Vocation School of Kragujevac from Serbia implemented the project “Youth and Reconciliation: Young People Can Make Difference”. 

The project took place from December 2019 to November 2020 and focused on reconciliation, peacebuilding and conflict management, aiming to enhance high school students’ knowledge and skills on storytelling, awareness raising and intercultural dialogue. 

Due to the COVID-19 developments, most of the project activities took place in an online setting, however this did not hinder youth cooperation and teamwork to meet project goals and objectives. 

“Nationalities did not stop us from being cooperative and learning new things together,” Ms Izabela Lako, project participant, stated.

Youth took part in trainings and workshops that helped them learn about and identify key challenges to peace and regional reconciliation. During the activities they were supported by the teachers in their high schools, who also participated in training on similar topics. 

“The role of the teachers in the peacebuilding and in the reconciliation process is very significant. We should discuss controversial issues using dialogue and different perspectives based on good practices,” Mr Eljon Shiba, one of the teachers in the training, underlined.

Speaking of the role of peacebuilding, Ms Dorela Alcani, another teacher in the training, added that: “Peace is being able to contribute the best we have and creating a world that supports everyone.”

Motivated and empowered by the project organizers and teachers, young participants openly shared their messages on peace and reconciliation.

“I feel that we made a huge step towards peace and peacebuiling,” Ms Danjela Stojcheska, project participant, emphasized.

At the end of the project, participants had the chance to learn more on awareness raising activities and documented their messages in a video campaign.

To access the local campaign and peace messages by some of the young participants and teachers in the project, click the button below: 

Project’s Local Campaign and Peace Messages 

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