Seizing the transformative power of digital and social economy: the OSCE Regional Ideathon

On 4 and 5 November 2022 on the Ohrid Lake, North Macedonia, the Regional Ideathon organized jointly by the Office of the Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and the OSCE Mission to Skopje gathered seventy young people aged 18-25 from the  Western Balkans’ region. Under the motto “Inspire, Connect, Enable”, the Ideathon is a creative problem solving exercise where youth come together and, guided by innovative start-uppers, dive into a social or an environmental challenge and consider possible solutions with the use of technology.

The Ideathon is one of the key activities of the OSCE YDEAS project that promotes reconciliation and cooperation at regional level  by leveraging innovation and digitalization for and a more inclusive, fair, energy-efficient and environmentally mindful economic post-pandemic recovery in the Western Balkans.

“Be the best version of yourselves,” was the encouragement of the OSCE Special Representative on Youth and Security, Maria Raczyńska. “We need the creativity and vision of young people to rebuild peace and security for everyone,” she added in her opening address.

Aneta Pasheva, Chairperson of the Economic Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies in Skopje, recalled the challenges she faced as a woman and a computer scientist and discussed her first steps in the IT business sector. “No one could believe that I was the CEO of my company. Follow your passion and your dream,” she said. “But do not forget that your community needs your talent. Today, 90 per cent of the IT companies in North Macedonia work for foreign companies in outsourcing. In the aftermath of the endorsement of the Western Balkans’ Common Regional Market Action Plan, youth’s skills are essential to transform the economic outlook of the region.”    

Thanks to the financial support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the 2022 OSCE Polish Chairmanship as well as the South-Eastern Europe Cooperative Initiative (SECI), the YDEAS project offers the ideal platform for policy-relevant dialogue on digital and social economy and a valuable contribution towards inspiring a new generation of green and social start-uppers. 

“We want to trigger a digital revolution that is fair, socially and environmentally mindful. And we want the project to act as catalyst of cooperation with local authorities, universities, the private sector and regional organizations, such as the Regional Youth Cooperation Office and the Regional Cooperation Council,” said Teresa Albano, OCEEA Economic Affairs Officer and the YDEAS project manager. “In times of persistent inequalities, the YDEAS project intends to seize the transformative power of digital and social economy to build forward better after the COVID-19 pandemic.”

As the largest regional security organization, the OSCE is aware of the importance of reconciliation and multi-stakeholders’ engagement to ensure fair post-pandemic recovery, security and stability in the OSCE area. The YDEAS project is a key initiative in the long-term engagement of the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities to this end.