Youth unemployment is one of the main drivers of emigration of young people all over the Balkans. The mass exodus of youth from the Southeast European neighbourhood is a severe consequence of sectoral problems, strongly related to unemployment, higher education systems, as well as to the job market conditions. In addition, these countries are also facing brain drain. In this complex situation, the role and importance of social responsibility and entrepreneurship are becoming more and more significant.
We are organising this interactive conference to ensure that the voices of youth are heard, as well as to find a way to introduce best practices. We believe that the Western Balkans has a huge potential rested on the will of its youth.
The invited speakers will answer these very specific questions in the presence of Commissioner Johannes Hahn, responsible for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations and Commissioner Tibor Navracsics, responsible for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.
In a roundtable discussion, six young speakers from the Balkans will set the scene while presenting current perspectives and challenges. Afterwards, a workshop will take place, where the hosts and the participants will exchange their views on the possibilities of knowledge transfer, innovation, and entrepreneurship. In the afternoon, experts from the Western Balkans and Members of the European Parliament will provide answers to the questions in the course of two panel discussions.

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE

- - Registration
- - Welcoming Remarks
Ildikó VOLLER-SZENCI, Head of Brussels Office, Antall József Knowledge Centre
Tomi HUHTANEN, Executive Director, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies

- - First Keynote Speech
Commissioner Tibor NAVRACSICS, responsible for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, European Commission

- - Going “GLOCAL”— Plenary Discussion on Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Western Balkans
Sorina KOTI, Lecturer, University of Korca
Andjela IVANOVIĆ, City Councillor, Municipality of Budva
Esmir HAZNADAR, CEO, Center for Innovations and Entrepreneurship
Mila LUKIĆ, President of the Board, KOMS
Ivan JOVANOV, Executive Director, Leaders for Education, Activism and Development (LEAD), (TBC)
Moderator: András BRAUN, Balkans Expert, Antall József Knowledge Centre

– ; – Youth Cooperation in the Western Balkans – The present state of play
Fatos MUSTAFA, Deputy Secretary General, Regional Youth Cooperation Office

Coffee Break

; – – Workshops: How to transfer know-how to the Western Balkans? What can the EU learn from the region?

Workshop 1: How to connect the SME's and start-ups of the Balkans to the European markets?
Host: László JÓNÁS, Head of Business Development, Design Terminal
Guest Speakers: Mirtill MEGYERI, Co-Founder, Zyntern
Olivér SZILLER, Founder and CEO, MyConcept

Workshop 2: Mobility in the Western Balkans
Host: Francesco PALA, Assistant to the Secretary General, European Association for Local Democracy
Guest Speakers: Aleksandra GLIGOROVIĆ, Expert, Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue
Maja KOS, Expert, Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue
Vanja IVOŠEVIĆ, Expert on Mobility, Regional Cooperation Council

Workshop 3: Social responsibility and success stories:
Influencers in the Western Balkans
Host: Zdravko ILIĆ, Director of Representative Office in Belgium, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia
Guest Speakers: Tomislav MILETIĆ, Inmold plast Ltd
Aleksandra BOŠKOVIĆ, Bild Studio Ltd

– – Lunch

  – Second Keynote Speech
Commissioner Johannes HAHN, responsible for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission (TBC)

– ;– First Panel Discussion with Members of the European Parliament – Strengthening soft connectivity between the EU and the Western Balkans
Eva MAYDELL, Member of the European Parliament, European People’s Party
Andor DELI, Member of the European Parliament, European People’s Party
Ivana MALETIĆ, Member of the European Parliament, European People’s Party (TBC)
Knut FLECKENSTEIN, Member of the European Parliament, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
Moderator: Dianna HORVÁT, International Relations Expert, Antall József Knowledge Centre

– ;– Coffee Break

– ;– Second Panel Discussion – Think Tanks in the Region: Challenges and Results Achieved
Igor MERHEIM-EYRE, Programme Officer, International Republican Institute
Zoran ILIESKI, Executive Director, Coalition of youth organizations SEGA
Sasha BEZUHANOVA, Founder and Chairperson,
Panagiotis KAKOLYRIS, Senior Researcher – Resource Coordinator, Centre of International and European Political Economy and Governance, University of the Peloponnese
Sabina CARLI, Project Manager, Centre for European Perspective
Moderator: Mary Ann RUKAVINA CIPETIĆ, Head, GTF - Initiative for Sustainable Growth

This event receives financial support from the European Parliament.
Sole liability rests with the organisers, the European Parliament is not responsible for the activity.
The Antall József Knowledge Centre and the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies
reserve the right to change the programme.