The “#EUandYOU – Your story, our future” campaign aiming to promote opportunities and benefits provided by EU programmes for young people from across the Western Balkans was presented today during an online event simulated in a virtual version of the Basilica Palladiana.
“Young people across the Western Balkans face many challenges, not least the high levels of unemployment and lack of job opportunities. That’s why we are promoting this campaign. We want to raise awareness of the opportunities that the EU offers in the region that can help them to overcome these challenges, gain new skills and contribute to the positive growth of their region,” Director for the Western Balkans at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations Genoveva Ruiz Calavera said ahead of the event.
Director Ruiz Calavera was joined at the launch by EU Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Johann Sattler and EU Ambassador to Albania Luigi Soreca. The event also featured six young people who recounted their experiences of participation in an EU programme. The final session took the format of a Q&A with six Young European Ambassadors from the Western Balkans selected earlier this year.
“#EUandYOU – Your story, our future” is the first integrated campaign developed under the European Union’s Regional Communication Programme for the Western Balkans. It aims to encourage greater participation of young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia in EU programmes, covering the areas of education, training and sport (ERASMUS+), entrepreneurship (COSME – Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), culture and creativity (Creative Europe), and research and innovation (HORIZON 2020).
The campaign launch coincides with the launch of www.webalkans.eu. This new web portal has been designed to offer a user-friendly experience and serve as a one-stop-shop for stories, news, funding opportunities and related information on cooperation between the EU and Western Balkans.
“#EUandYOU – Your story, our future” is the first of three regional awareness campaigns which will be rolled out by the European Commission over three years. It comprises a vibrant multimedia mix, including testimonials from programme participants and animated video clips on each of the four EU programmes. TV, radio, outdoor advertising, web and social activity started on 16 November will run for one month.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence
More information
- Event programme
- WeBalkans.eu
- Campaign webpage: webalkans.eu/en/campaign/
- ERASMUS+: europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/about_en
- COSME: europa.eu/growth/smes/cosme_en
- CREATIVE EUROPE: ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/
- HORIZON 2020: europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en
Background
The EU Regional Communication Programme for the Western Balkans was launched in January 2020 and will run for three years. The objective is to inform diverse target audiences about EU values, policies and programmes. The programme comprises three integrated components:
- three region-wide communication campaigns
- an online portal WeBalkans.eu
- a Young European Ambassadors network
Pomilio Blumm agency is implementing the project.
