Project Summary
Young people in the Western Balkans region continue to be influenced by the negative legacies of the past, particularly youth living in segregated ethnic majority areas and learning in segregated schools and education systems. Many have no direct memory of joint peaceful coexistence. Few young people have travelled outside of the region and others have not even visited major cities in their countries and territories.

The online spread of fake news, disinformation and hate speech replicates stereotypes and reinforces distrust. Bullying on social media is commonplace, with women and girls particularly affected by it. However, more and more young people are becoming media and information literate, and they are responding to hate speech with positive stories and messages.

Young people are also reaching out to their peers and building live or virtual relationships across ethnic lines. Most young people believe that youth exchanges could have a positive impact on regional relations. Youth in the Western Balkans is crucial for strengthening democracy and promoting positive social transformations, yet decision-makers often fail to take their needs and aspirations into account.

Therefore, engagement of young people in decision-making needs to be further stimulated and improved. The project is implemented in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia.

What We Want to Achieve
The project seeks to empower young people from Kosovo and the region to engage in constructive narratives, strengthen intercultural dialogue, inclusion, gender equality and creation of mutual understanding and trust in the Western Balkans.

The two-year initiative will enhance the role of youth in promoting increased comprehension and respect for diversity.

Expected Results:

1. Bringing young people together from the region.

2. Organizing trainings and discussions to enable young people to find solutions for shared concerns - such as gender inequality, hate speech, fake news, mistrust, with their peers from other territories in the region.

3. Enhancing media literacy and critical thinking of youth and working with young journalists and young political activists across the region to create and promote constructive and gender-sensitive narratives.

4. Enabling more young women and men from the region to interact through sports, culture, media, civic education and community initiatives, climate and environmental actions, and virtual/in person discussions.

5. Working together with decision-makers in the region to help them address the needs of young people in their communities and engage them in building social cohesion, dialogue, trust and mutual understanding in the Western Balkans.

Achievements
• A Regional Youth Peacebuilding Fellowship Programme established bringing together 30 passionate young leaders to be architects of peace in the region, challenging stereotypes and fostering trust in communities.

• Multi-community youth community volunteers are engaged to participate in local youth actions plans and help institutionalise YPS/WPS agendas in 5 municipal structures (incl. Peja/Pec, Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje, Ferizaj/Uroshevac, Parteš/Partesh, Mamushë/Mamuşa).

• To co-create a long-term vision for peace education, the project, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, initiated tailored local initiatives with schools and CSOs to promote peace education through YPEER and Bystander methodology integration into out-of-school activities.

• The project created opportunities for multi-community stakeholders and beneficiaries (policy representatives from central and local institutions, CSOs, youth) to take part in project regional initiatives and exchanges related to YPS/WPS and Peace & Education, strengthening partnerships and collaborations at regional and local level.

• Initiated tailored capacity programmes for young journalists from local communities to tackle mis/disinformation, hate speech, promote constructive narratives through journalistic products.

Time Frame:
January 2025 – December 2026

Status:
Ongoing

Where:
Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia

Focus Area:
Youth, countering mis/disinformation and hate speech, gender equality, positive narratives

Beneficiaries:
Young people (between 18–30 years of age)

Partners:
Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST), Civil society organizations, media, academia, and youth groups

Donor(s):
United Nations Peacebuilding Fund

Budget:
$326,351.07

Contact:
Marta K. Gazideda
Governance and Peacebuilding Portfolio Manager/ Deputy Programme Coordinator
📧 marta.gazideda@undp.org
📞 Tel: +383 38 249 066
📱 Mob: +383 49 785 895

Ardian Latifaj
Project Manager
📧 ardian.latifaj@undp.org
📞 +381 38 249 066 (ext. 307)
📱 Mob: +383 44 222 317