Ambassador Wigemark: BiH’s youth are future EU citizens

Over the past weekend, students from 14 public faculties across Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in a Media Boot Camp held in Konjic, during which they learned how to design and implement creative public information campaigns on socio-economic reforms that aim to bring benefits to citizens and the country closer to the EU.

Students had the opportunity to learn about EU integration, socio-economic reforms and all the main aspects of preparation and implementation of public campaigns through discussions with EU representatives as well as experts from different areas.

The Media Boot Camp was organised within the “E4U” project devised by the EU Special Representative in BiH (EUSR) project for undergraduate students. It took place between 10th and 12th February, and gathered more than 50 students and their mentors.

“Based on what we could see, their capabilities, their values, but also the knowledge they possess, these young people are already a part of the European Union, equal to their peers in any member state. That is why it is important to give them the opportunity to be heard, which this project provides”, stressed Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, Head of the European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU Special Representative.

Balkan Tube Space Director Mirjana Valdisavljević spoke about the development of the YouTube as a communication channel in Balkans and its possibilities, whereas the marketing and advertising expert Ivan Stanković spoke to students about “How to recognize and grab opportunities that life has to offer.”

Students were very interested in presentations of young representatives of successful BiH companies, Orhan Nikšić from the company Zanat and Zlatan Tanović from the brand Gazzda. Both of them had an opportunity to continue their education and careers abroad, but instead, decided to return to their country and to apply the acquired knowledge in their successful business.

During the Media Boot Camp the students were divided into seven teams:

  • Yellow Team: Academy of Arts, Banja Luka and Faculty of Economics, Bihać
  • Blue Team: Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Sarajevo and Faculty of Economics, Pale
  • Red Team: Faculty of Economics, University of Mostar and Faculty of Economics, University “Džemal Bijedić”
  • Green Team: School of Economics and Business, University of Sarajevo and Faculty of Law, University of Zenica
  • Pink Team: Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka and Faculty of Law, University of Tuzla
  • Orange Team: Faculty of Business Economics, Bijeljina and Faculty of Economics, University of Tuzla
  • Purple Team: Faculty of Agriculture, University East Sarajevo and Faculty of Economics, University of Zenica

After the training, the students will start working in teams on creating campaigns. In the following period, they will apply the acquired knowledge through the preparation of concrete campaigns which they will then present to the public, as a result strengthening the voice of the youth in BiH society as well.

The Office of the EU Special Representative to BiH is implementing the E4U project for undergraduate students for the second year in a row. The best team will be awarded with the trip to Brussels, where they will be present their winning campaign to the EU institutions, as well as visit 10 European cities.

Video from the Media Bootcamp:

Europa.ba