EUSR and Norwegian Embassy hosted Third Education and Jobs Fair in Mostar

The Education and Jobs Fair “Learn, Explore, Network” hosting 160 exhibitors and welcoming several thousand visitors was organised today in Mostar, in co-operation of the Office of the EU Special Representative and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Building on the successes of previous fairs held in Zenica and Banja Luka, the Mostar Fair allowed participants – youth, students and unemployed – to identify and develop their own talents in various on-site workshops, explore up to 1,500 job and educational opportunities and establish professional networks.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, the Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in BiH, stressed the importance of the Reform Agenda implementation for the BiH business environment. “You may not see the difference yet, but the point of these reforms is to create jobs and opportunities for people like yourselves, for young people of this country. As one can tell from the dynamics here, there is plenty of energy in BiH, in Mostar now and I am pleased to see people want to work and improve their own future. Having the Fair provide hundreds of potential jobs, we are proud of the partnership with the Norwegian Embassy in this exciting and very meaningful event“, Ambassador Wigemark said.

Anne Havnør, Deputy Head of Mission of Royal Norwegian Embassy, said: “Brain drain is a serious threat to BiH’s ambitions of becoming a modern developed European country.  To counter this, the conditions for young talent here must be drastically improved – to motivate well-educated and skilled people to stay. We want people – especially youth, women and minorities – to be active participants in society and in the economy. In helping yourselves to succeed, you will also contribute to the well-being of your fellow citizens.

The Fair welcomed businesses, institutions and NGOs that work on the development of the BiH business environment, labour and educational systems, or recruit new talent. They came from Grude, Mostar, Široki Brijeg, Čapljina, Sarajevo, Trebinje, Goražde, Tuzla, Zenica, Banja Luka, Jablanica, Bijeljina, Istočno Sarajevo and Stolac.

Europa.ba