General Info

The International Youth Conference “EuropeanValues for the Future of the SEE Countries“ was initiated in 2003 to grow into a Traditional Youth Conference actively attended by more than 1000 different individuals, youth leaders for the last 20 years. Back in the day, European values in the SEE countries were a significant issue affecting everyone. Now, 20 years from the organization of the first conference, the topic is still vigorous and pending, but the political – economic map of the region has notably changed. Although all countries embarked from the same point, the situation today with all of them is different.

The International Youth Conference “European Values for the Future of SEE Countries“ has existed twenty consecutive years as a forum where 60 active, successful and competent young leaders, youth workers and representatives from prominent NGOs from 16 countries are gathered every year. These fighters for a better future are sharing their visions, strategies, campaigns and way of thinking during the 5-day forum.

The International Youth Conference is a unique place, a cultural crossroad aiming to mobilize young leaders from SEE to reinvent a more inclusive regional cooperation process. Equally, the conference aims to work with young leaders from the region to raise their decision-making and advocacy skills and to help mold a generation of democratic leaders who cross-historical, geographical and cultural barriers will support the EU integrative process of/within the region. 

Photo from the 19th hybrid, digital and analog conference. 

The 20th edition of the IYC, traditionally took place from September 29 until October 3 in Krushevo, North Macedonia aimed to provide the youth with answers to some of the most pressing questions of the region, focusing on the European integration, in times of unprecedented change. Over 60 young activists from 16 countries, within the International Youth Conference "European Values for the Future of the SEE Countries", debated on the European future and the youth-led transformation of the region, as well as greater integration and digital transformation of our societies.01.

The common thread of #IYC2022 was formed by five thematic tracks:

                1. Youth friendly region; is it possible?

                2. Sustainable and digital transformation of the region

                3. European perspective of the region

                4. Financing the future of the region

                5. Mutual understanding and dialogue within and out of EU

The conference brought up together up to 60 participants from the countries from the SEE region (North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey) and guests from youth organizations partners from Germany, France and Poland in the role of mentors.

During the 20th International Youth Conference, seven panel sessions with 28 panelists were held, covering five topics. The young participants of the conference were given the chance to participate in round tables in order to develop their visions for the region. In total, the 60 participants of the conference were divided in 3 working groups and, with the assistance of 7 facilitators and 4 reporters, came up with the innovative ideas required to create a blueprint. The blueprint is meant to create the instructions to create a better region for the youth, the ideas were inspired by the following plenary sessions:

                1. Stop, Breathe And Think – Sensemaking of the Thessaloniki Summit to Today

                2. The Youth Frontline – Reflecting on Youth Action for Real Change

                3. Complex Crisis in a Post-Truth World - Should We Panic?

                4. The Art of Collaborative Futuremaking through Transformative Relations in the Region

                5. Pondering on Potential Tipping or Turning Points in the Region

                6. Pact towards Peace: European Path for the Balkans

                7. Leaping into the Shared EU Horizon - WB6, SEE region, EU what lies ahead?

The final result from the 20th International Youth Conference is the creation and publication of the Brochure, which is a guide to all the activities that happened this year but also all the inspiring information that was shares by the speakers that were in attendance. Click to see how the conference looks in numbers, words and actions. 

Brochure 2022