On a summer evening, I was walking down Balkanska Street in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Despite the late hour, I saw that one of the shops selling drinks was still open. The owner of the shop was sitting outside and reading a newspaper under a lamp.
written by Azra Tapuškić, Bosnia and Herzegovina
As Generative AI (GenAI) becomes a standard “colleague” in our workflows, the primary threat to critical thinking is no longer misinformation alone, but cognitive offloading. This phenomenon occurs when we delegate the “productive struggle” of reasoning to an algorithm, leading to what researchers now call “metacognitive laziness”.
written by Lazar Uzelac, Serbia
We remember and retell pranks from school, and in them there is always that “crumb of childhood”, naivety and clumsiness of youth. But, in the case of the professor from Trstenik, it about the intention to completely humiliate this professor, to, in the literal sense, make her fall on the floor and to immediately post video of this heinous act on social networks.
written by Stjepan Benkus, Croatia
Digital activism has become a significant avenue for youth engagement in social movements, facilitated by innovative technologies and social media platforms. In an era where connectivity is instantaneous and information flows rapidly, young people have found new ways to participate in activism that are both accessible and impactful, transcending the boundaries of traditional protest methods.
written by Afraa Maiza , Tunisia
“We use cameras of their own making, we download pictures on computers we imported from them, we open the internet whose network they invented for us, we enter the Facebook that they chained us to, and we wear clothes with their brands written on them…”
written by Hany Amin, Egypt
High unemployment and limited opportunities for economic mobility are the biggest challenges for the Egyptian youth, which is among the largest globally with nearly 2/3 of the country’s population under the age of 30.
written by Marija, Augusta and Gabriele, Lithuanian team
Young people often face tremendous pressure when it comes to making long- term decisions. That can be observed mostly during the time when they have to choose a University to study, or when they have to make a decision to move away from their hometown or to live abroad…
written by Ena, Aleksandra and Milena, North Macedonian team, North Macedonia
People in the Balkans share quite an intensive amount of experiences, including their intertwined past but also present, especially in the cultural aspect. They share the same food, with some small regional variations, same expressions and mannerisms, and to some extent the same preference in music.
written by Iva Radović, Anđela Tomović, Aleksandar Kovačević, Montenegro
Today, Montenegro represents a multiethnic state characterized by rich linguistic and religious diversity. Despite the severe conflicts that followed the dissolution of Yugoslavia, Montenegro managed to preserve relative stability.
written by Nouran El Beltagy, Egypt
In Egypt, mental health challenges among the youth are prevalent, with statistics revealing a substantial need for attention and reform. According to a survey conducted by the Egyptian Ministry of Health, nearly 25% of young people aged 18 to 29 reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression.
written by Marina Michel, Egypt
Cultural and religious norms, deeply rooted in the tapestry of Egyptian society, play a profound role in influencing the perceptions and choices of the youth.
written by Mateja Maletin, Serbia
In the past five years, children and young people have been increasingly exposed to digital violence, according to research by the umbrella organization of young people in Serbia. In the period from 2019 to 2021, a stable trend was recorded, where 37% of respondents stated that they had been exposed to digital violence, while this percentage increased to 40% in 2022, i.e. in 2023, even 47% of respondents stated that they were exposed to digital violence.