The Program targeted young leaders from parliamentary represented political parties and civic organisations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro. It consisted of three five-day seminars, which were held in different countries included in the Project. The Program was implemented with the active involvement of the Network of Schools of Political Studies at the Council of Europe.

 

Overview:

The Regional Program sought to promote the development of democratic political process in the Western Balkans, and to provide a forum for prominent young political and civic leaders from the region to study and analyze, in a constructive dialogue, the underlying values and principles of Western democracy and human rights, as well as the responsibilities of public and political leaders for transparent government consistent with the law.

Main Activities:

Within the Regional Program 2009/2010 three training courses were held:

– 1^st Course – “Leadership and Political Engagement in the 21^st Century”, 9 -13 December 2009, Skopje, Macedonia;

– 2^nd Course – “Challenges to Youth Engagement and Youth Policy Development in the Balkans: Good Practices and Lessons to Learn”, 24-28 March 2010, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina;

– 3^rd Course – „Youth Policies and Regional Cooperation Perspectives for the Balkans”, June 2010, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Project Goals

• To develop skills for responsible and ethical leadership and good governance among young political and civic leaders from Southeastern Europe through preparing them for managing democratic processes and building an active civil society in their countries
• To encourage transnational constructive dialogue and cooperation among political activists, experts, scientists, political parties, civil society and media in the Southeastern countries regarding political, social and economic problems, key for the region
• Through training and research initiatives the participants, to encourage creation models for positive reforms in some of the countries that could be used as models for positive development for the whole region
• To establish an active transnational network political and civic leaders, prepared for participation in public debates and to work for development and establishment best practices for solving the existing problems in the region regarding human rights, integration of minorities, regional security and regional cooperation.

Participants

During the School year 2009/2010, 32 participants from 8 countries from Southeastern Europe successfully completed the Regional Program and received Certificates of Specialization in Political Management from the New Bulgarian University and credits, which could use for further training in the Master’s program of the University.

Implementation period

October 2009 – July 2010

Funding

The Program for 2009/2010 was financed through the Organisation Internacionale De La Francophonie, the National Endowment for Democracy, Washington, the “East East: Partnership Beyond Boarders” Program, the Open Society Institute and the Council of Europe.