OSCE Special Representative on Youth and Security highlights role of youth mainstreaming during his visit to Serbia

BELGRADE, 29 January 2019 – Concluding a three-day visit to Serbia, Samuel Goda, the Special Representative of the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship on Youth and Security, highlighted the crucial role of youth in strengthening comprehensive security and co-operation. Goda reiterated that for Slovakia young people are key for a safer future in Europe.

Learning about the OSCE Mission to Serbia’s cross-dimensional initiatives with and for youth, Goda stressed the importance of the OSCE’s work to promote youth rights, strengthen inclusive youth policies and build capacities of young women and men in the areas of non-discrimination, media literacy and regional co-operation.

“Young women and men have unique perspectives on many key challenges of today’s world. We have to listen to their ideas and concerns,” said Goda, recalling the OSCE Declaration on the Role of Youth in Contributing to Peace and Security Efforts adopted at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan last month.

In his meeting with the Head of the Mission to Serbia, Andrea Orizio, Goda welcomed the Mission’s strategic approach to youth mainstreaming.

Head of Mission Orizio said: “Because of the cross-cutting nature of the challenges facing youth, the OSCE Mission to Serbia has been investing in youth across all our programmes. We are in the process of launching an innovative initiative that will allow us to embed a youth focus in all our activities in a systematic way, from the conception to the implementation of projects. We hope to serve as a role model for the region."

After an interactive exchange with youth-led civil society organizations, Goda was received by the Serbian Minister of Youth and Sports, Vanja Udovičić, to discuss how to promote the participation of young people.

“The OSCE provided substantial input on defining the goals for our National Youth Strategy,” said Udovičić. “We are looking forward to continuing the co-operation on projects through which young men and women will be engaged in strengthening security and peacebuilding in the region.”

The Special Representative later participated in the annual meeting of OSCE Youth Focal Points from field operations in the Western Balkans.

“Through their participation in inclusive education programmes and inter-communal dialogue, young people are making a real difference on the ground. The Slovak Chairmanship is committed to strengthening the organization’s ability to make better use of this expertise,” said Goda at the meeting. He spoke about the Chairmanship’s plans to support a young expert-led process, which will culminate in a Youth Forum in Bratislava.

While in Serbia, Goda also visited the city of Novi Sad to attend its inauguration as European Youth Capital. 

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Special Representative on Youth and Security represents a youth voice within the OSCE and advises the Chairperson-in-Office on youth policy issues. He advocates for systematic youth participation and the positive role youth can play throughout the whole conflict cycle and in protracted conflicts. Learn more at ww.osce.org/youth, Twitter: @OSCEyouthSR and Facebook: www.facebook.com/OSCEyouthSR and by following #OSCEyouth across social media networks.