Students from all over Europe will discuss the future challenges for Europe and the integration of Balkan countries at the EU-Balkan Youth Forum taking place at the Italian foreign ministry from 22-26 November.
Foreign minister Luigi Di Maio will take part in the final session of the meeting to hear its proposals directly. He will report the proposals to the 2021-2022 Future of Europe Conference that aims to let citizens from across the continent air their views on the future of the EU, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Based on a proposal by Di Maio, forum is being organized in cooperation with the Regional Cooperation Council (Sarajevo), together with the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (Tirana), the Rome-based Centro Studi Politica Internazionale (CeSPI) and the Transeuropean Balkan and Caucasus Observatory in Trento, the statement said.
The four-day forum will bring together 33 countries, 78 students, 10 mentors and policy makers from across Europe, in order to gather new inputs and ideas and chart a common path for future action, according to the statement.
The foreign ministry will earmark funds to allow the network to develop future institutional, economic and social projects, based on the forum discussions. Students up to the age of 26 from all EU Member States and Balkan countries who are interested in EU integration and social activism can apply to attend the forum.