Regional cooperation - CEP

BiH’s Visionary Voices Forum: Inspiring the Next Generation of Leaders

16. 12. 2024 | BiH - Young Politicians, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, Youth

The first forum of the “Enter: Change” project, BiH’s Visionary Voices: Leading the Change, came to an end on Friday. Held in Portorož from 9 to 13 December, it brought together 12 young politicians from Bosnia and Herzegovina for a program focused on leadership, governance, and social change.

Over five days, participants discussed important topics such as challenges in the Western Balkans, the rule of law, democracy, and fighting corruption. They learned about strategic communication, tackling misinformation, and using media to bring people together. Sessions also focused on gender equality, the role of women in leadership, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in decision-making. Workshops helped participants build skills in leadership, teamwork, communication, and strategic planning while encouraging youth involvement in politics and democracy. The forum combined discussions, workshops, and interactive activities to help participants gain practical skills and share ideas. They worked on how to take what they learned and use it in their communities to make a positive impact.

The event featured contributions from key figures, including representatives from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana, Ms Melania Arreaga, and former Slovenian President Mr Borut Pahor. Their insights inspired participants and added great value to the forum. This forum is the first step in the Enter: Change project, and we look forward to continuing this work and helping young leaders create meaningful change.

The activities within the project ‘Enter: Change’ are financed by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs within the #SlovenianAid and Partnerships programme and by the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana.

The BiH’s Visionary Voices Forum Wraps Up

13. 12. 2024 | BiH - Young Politicians, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, Youth

We’ve closed BiH’s Visionary Voices: Leading the Change forum with an inspiring session highlighting recent achievements and future aspirations for young BiH politicians.

The concluding ceremony opened with a keynote by H.E. Mr. Borut Pahor, Founder and Director of the Institute Friends of the Western Balkans and former President of Slovenia (2012–2022). His talk, Charting Bosnia’s Future: Leadership Lessons for and by Youth, offered participants interesting insights and encouragement.

The concluding session featured participants presenting key takeaways, sharing lessons learned, and reflecting on how these insights will shape their future efforts. These presentations underscored their dedication to applying new ideas in practical and impactful ways.

The successfully concluded forum highlighted the need for further cooperation, promoting meaningful discussions, skill-building, and networking. We will continue our work within the Enter: Change project and we look forward to hosting another forum next year.

The activities within the project ‘Enter: Change’ are financed by the Ministrstvo za zunanje in evropske zadeve RS / Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs within the #SlovenianAid and Partnerships programme and by the U.S. Embassy Ljubljana.

Midway through BiH’s Visionary Voices

12. 12. 2024 | BiH - Young Politicians, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, Youth

Portorož, 12 December 2024 – We are halfway through ‘BiH’s Visionary Voices: Leading the Change’ forum, offering an enriching experience for our participants.

Participants have delved into some crucial topics, including:

The challenges and opportunities of the Western Balkans and pathways to progress
The principles of rule of law and democracy
Shaping impactful messages for the media through effective communication
Using strategic communication to build democratic resilience and social cohesion
The role of media in fostering social change, with a focus on youth and citizenship

Two workshops further encouraged participants to explore leadership in depth—examining its core competencies, reflecting on their own leadership experiences, and considering how they can create meaningful change in their communities.

In the remaining two days, participants will focus on two very important topics: gender equality and diversity and the role of women in the political context.

The activities within the project ‘Enter: Change’ are financed by the Ministrstvo za zunanje in evropske zadeve RS / Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs within the #SlovenianAid and Partnerships programme and by the U.S. Embassy Ljubljana.

Upcoming forum for young BiH politicians in Portorož

29. 11. 2024 | BiH - Young Politicians, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, Youth

30 November, Mengeš – We are delighted to announce the first forum of the “Enter: Change” project, which will take place from 8 to 13 December in Portorož, Slovenia. The event is titled ‘BiH’s Visionary Voices: Leading the Change’, and is dedicated to fostering young leaders from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The forum will bring together 14 young leaders for a dynamic five-day program.

The activities will focus on discussions of challenges in the Western Balkans, the rule of law and democracy, strategic communication and combating misinformation, diversity and inclusion, and a workshop on youth political engagement. The forum aims to provide a platform for skill development, networking, dialogue, and empowering young leaders from BiH to drive meaningful change in their communities and beyond.

The forum will among others, include representatives from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana, Ms Melania Arreaga, and former Slovenian President, Mr Borut Pahor.

The activities within the project ‘Enter: Change’ are financed by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia within the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships programme and by the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana.

Conclusion of online mentorship between Postojna and Pechenihy

29. 11. 2024 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine

29 November 2024—Today, we have concluded the online mentorship between Municipality Postojna and Municipality Pechenihy under the auspices of the project ‘Post-conflict reconstruction in Ukraine’. The mentorship visit took place online in October and November and focused on project writing, EU accession and funding, and the exchange of Postojna’s good practices on the topics of education, business development, and energy efficiency.

The situation in Pechenihy hromada did not allow for the visit to happen in person. Still, both municipalities expressed their willingness to cooperate, first online, and in the future perhaps also in person.

The ‘Post-conflict reconstruction in Ukraine’ project is funded by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships and implemented in partnership with ‘U-LEAD with Europe’. The U-LEAD with Europe programme is a partnership of the Ukrainian government and the European Union, and its member states Germany, Sweden, Poland, and Slovenia, to support the establishment of multi-level governance that is transparent, accountable, and responsive to the needs of the Ukrainian population.

First insights from our successful event – Forum on Reconstruction and Business Revival in Ukraine

28. 11. 2024 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine

On 27^th November, the first forum on reconstruction and business revival in Ukraine was attended by industry leaders, policymakers, embassies, international development institutions and other stakeholders, who were able to immerse themselves in the current needs and projects of Ukrainian authorities directed toward reconstruction and development.

The event was co-organised with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Slovenia and supported by Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia through the Slovenia Aid & Partnerships programme.

The event also marked the successful conclusion of a week-long study visit of mayors and key representatives of Ukrainian municipalities, the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, business associations, and inter-municipal associations, accompanied by representatives of the EU Programme [U-LEAD with Europe] implemented by German GIZ, focusing on the development of local economy and boosting local entrepreneurship. They contributed knowledge and ambitious projects on reconstruction and development, which inspired rich discussions on the opportunities in Ukrainian priority sectors ripe for investment – waste management and circular economy, building for the future, and energy.

Slovenian businesses shared their knowledge, innovative solutions, and experience operating in the Ukrainian market. The event provided further information on important tools for facilitating investment in Ukraine and connections between businesses.