Nowadays music makes a significant influence over the values and behaviors of young people, serving as an impactful method for cultural expression and ideological dissemination. In the Balkans, turbo folk music, a genre known for its vibrant rhythms and provocative lyrics, has gained immense popularity among teenagers. Turbo-folk emerged in the late 1980s and became… Continue reading The impact of turbo folk music on Balkan youth
written by Fatima Zohra Taourit, Algeria
Homelessness is a serious social scourge that strikes the family at its core, and threatens society with the proliferation of other more dangerous scourges.
written by Lana Mašković, Montenegro
As Montenegro moves forward in its European Union accession process, the views of its academic youth reveal a landscape of divided opinions. For some students, and young academics, EU membership is seen as a natural and necessary step towards political stability, educational alignment, and institutional modernization.
written by Milica Kašćelan, Montenegro
Dobrota lace lives and breathes through hands. Hands that wait, embrace, build, and overcome the toughest battles. It endures through the hands that strive to preserve it from oblivion, from the cruelty of time, and from fleeting trends. These hands carry the burden of women across more than five centuries, creating a path where new patterns will become works of art.
written by Nikola Petrović, Serbia
Physical punishment can have lasting effects on children’s well-being, while positive parenting approaches help foster healthy development, confidence and mutual respect.
written by Marija Marinković, Serbia
Financial freedom is a dream for many people, and to achieve it, we must be financially literate. However, in Serbia, as in many other countries, formal education does not provide enough financial education and young people often are not sufficiently prepared for independent living after schooling.
written by Marina Medhat, Egypt
Media misinformation and disinformation is a major worldwide problem, as media plays a big role everyday in our lives. Everyone uses media for different purposes. In today’s society, it’s hard to tell what’s true and what’s fake!, and we have seen more and more people fall victim to media – induced confusion, believing all kinds of fake stories which leads to unnecessary drama.
written by CID, North Macedonia
In North Macedonia, the landscape of mental health among young people reflects a dynamic interplay of societal, economic, and individual factors. While the country boasts cultural richness and historical significance, the challenges surrounding youth mental health persist, demanding comprehensive attention and proactive measures to support the well-being of its younger generation.
written by Ksenija Petrović, Serbia
In 2021 a young Polish woman, Izabela, was admitted to the hospital due to pregnancy complications. Her fetus had many problems and disorders and could not survive. But doctors were hesitant to operate on her because of a new law in Poland that bans abortion except in cases of incest and rape. Isabella’s condition worsened. She texted her mother: “my temperature is rising, I don’t think they will operate on me until the fetus’s heart is beating, and by then I could get sepsis.” She died a few hours later.
written by Arta Abduli, North Macedonia
On the 11th of November, the Center for Intercultural Dialogue (CID) proudly organized the 6th edition of the ‘Born 2 Run Race’ in Kumanovo. This highly anticipated event, featuring both a 3km and a 10km race, marked a celebration of unity, resilience, and community engagement.
written by Lena Popovski, North Macedonia
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.
written by Sanin Bilić, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Some of the major problems in the Western Balkans Region include high unemployment rates, education and skills mismatch, emigration and “brain drain”, political disengagement, social exclusion and inequality. The causes of these problems are often multifaceted and very complex