The sixth Regional Network meeting of the project partners of the Balkan regional platform for youth participation and dialogue was organized from the 17th to the 19th of October, 2018 in Novi Sad, Serbia. The aim of this meeting was to evaluate and to promote the achievements made over the past four years and to discuss the creation of the Balkan Network for Local Democracy strategy document as the comprehensive vision of the road map for working together in the forthcoming years.

During the meeting, the partners dedicated some time for presenting the integrating evaluation findings in order to improve the Network’s performances and so, they discussed about the Network strategy document and the definition of the Balkan network for local democracy’s role in contributing to key national or regional EU integration priorities from 2018-2025.

Never the less, the highlight of this Regional Network meeting was the Regional Round Table which took place at OPENS 2019 on the topic Millennials of the Balkans: “Making smart and long term plans vs packing the bags and leaving in search for a more comfortable life”. The event was consisted of a moderated debate with guest speakers and a panel discussion, where the guests, especially the young people had an opportunity to ask various questions regarding unemployment, youth participation and inclusion, problems such as brain drain etc.

Afterwards the youth engagement workers had an opportunity to visit the Vojvodina Assembly, where they had a meeting with Mr. Damir Zobenica, vice president of the Assembly of Vojvodina, Chairperson of the Assembly Committee for inter-regional co-operation. At the meeting, the young people had the chance to find out more about the regional cooperation between the Balkan countries, the Youth Fund and to learn about some new measures and mechanisms used as a tool for preventing the “ brain drain”. 

Although this meeting is the last in the framework of this project, the partners will continue their collaboration trough the Balkan network for local democracy.