For decades, young people from the Western Balkans have lived between two worlds – one defined by borders, bureaucracy and post-conflict challenges, and another, just across those borders, shaped by freedom of movement, vibrant democratic values and economic opportunities. The second one is the European Union.
In May and June 2024, The Albanian Pro Family and Life Coalition led a campaign opposing a draft policy concerning reproductive rights. Two primary concerns raised by the coalition were the provision allowing abortions for girls over 16 without parental consent and the proposed legalization of surrogacy. Subsequently, on May 19th, the municipality of Tirana… Continue reading Pro-Family Outcry: Reproductive and Gay Rights Draft Policies Spark Debate in Albania
The youth policy and youth work in Estonia is defined by many legal acts. According to the Youth Work Act, a young person is a natural person between the ages of 7 and 26. Youth work as a professional area is not defined in the Youth Work Act, however it is defined in Youth Sector Development Plan 2021-2035.
Within MEDIActive Youth project on media literacy, the training course has been successfully held in Belgrade from 25th June to 2nd July 2022. The training, hosted by Centar za drustveno ekonomski razvoj (CDER), had 21 youth worker participants, 3 from each partner NGOs. It was led by experienced CDER trainers. The goal of the training… Continue reading Media literacy training for youth workers successfully implemented
Many of the young people you meet on the streets of Belgrade consider going abroad as either a temporary or permanent solution for their problems. How many of them actually go, where to and why…
“The Balkans produces more history than it can consume”, Winston Churchill In the Balkans and beyond, teaching about difficult histories can often be controversial, but does it have merit? As an educator, I sometimes encounter the sentiment that: “We should leave the past in the past and look towards the future, digging up painful history… Continue reading Opinion: FACING HISTORY IN THE BALKANS – Why is it important and why should young people care?
Psychedelic mushrooms and mental health Magic mushrooms, also known as psilocybin mushrooms, have been used for centuries in various cultural and spiritual contexts. Recently, these fungi have attracted the attention of the scientific community due to their potential therapeutic effects on mental health disorders. Are these mushrooms harmless and are there any risks? Mental health… Continue reading Therapeutic potential and risks of using magic mushrooms
INTRODUCTION Social media is a revolutionary internet platform that has drastically altered people’s perceptions of the world and has become an integral part of our society. As technology evolves and expands, social media is becoming an essential tool for daily social interaction. The fact that nearly 2.65 billion people use social media on the internet… Continue reading SOCIAL MEDIA’S NEGATIVE IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH
Sport plays a crucial role in promoting women’s rights, offering women and girls often underestimated opportunities to assert themselves as independent individuals, especially in patriarchal societies. To achieve this, investments in infrastructure and athletes are essential.
Currently, more than 50 faculties from four main Serbian university centers – Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš and Kragujevac are completely blocked. Students demand responsibility for the accident at the Novi Sad Railway Station when 15 people were killed when the canopy collapsed.
Media can be a powerful tool for empowering young people to become actors of positive transformation in their communities and beyond. Referring to advocacy and community building, media can help young people to connect with others
“We Children from Bahnhof Zoo” (1981) is a harrowing West German film based on the autobiographical book “Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo” by Christiane Felscherinow. The movie chronicles the real-life story of Christiane F., a teenager in 1970s Berlin who descends into drug addiction and prostitution. The psychological aspects of the characters in this film can be linked to real-life issues faced by individuals in similar circumstances.