Young people have clear opinions on issues that concern them and are ready to express them publicly, while institutions must demonstrate openness and willingness to listen, this was one of the key messages from today’s Youth Café, organized by the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) in Podgorica, which brought together about 20 young people from the Capital City.
Opening the event, Nikola Đurašević, CGO Programme Associate, emphasized that “young people in Montenegro have ideas, strength, and potential to drive change, but it is up to institutions to listen, recognize, and give them space to participate.”
“Youth policies cannot be created without young people. The process must be two-way and involve their active participation. Every decision that shapes society must include the voice of youth if we truly want to improve their position. Without their energy, ideas, and vision, we cannot speak of inclusive policies,” said Slađana Anđušić, Secretary of the Secretariat for Local Self-Government and Cooperation with Civil Society of the Capital City Podgorica, who was one of the panellists. She also stressed the importance of an open and sincere approach to young people. “We must show them that we are here for them, that we work in their interest, and that we value and implement their input through concrete examples. Continuous dialogue and trust are essential, as well as strong support and synergy between national and local levels, in order to develop youth policy to its full potential, following European practices,” she stated.
“The Ministry strives to create conditions in which young people will have the opportunity to learn, work, and participate in decision-making processes that affect them. Through programmes such as the Youth Guarantee and support for Podgorica’s candidacy for the European Youth Capital 2028, we want to show that youth are a priority, not a decoration. Institutions must open their doors – but young people must also have the courage to step through them, because change begins with them,” stated Anja Kečalović, Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Sports and Youth
Speaking about challenges and opportunities for greater youth participation, Anja Malešić, a Law student at the University of Montenegro and one of the Youth Café participants, underlined that “young people in Podgorica are increasingly showing the desire to contribute to society, but they lack space and confidence in their own influence. Activism usually arises from the need for change, from the drive against injustice, and the enthusiasm to achieve positive results. To strengthen youth participation, institutions must be open to dialogue and support, while young people need to believe in themselves and their impact — and take initiative.
“This meeting showed how full of ideas, ambition, and motivation for change young people are. The discussion was open and inspiring, especially on topics related to youth position and opportunities for greater activism. The atmosphere was positive, with a sense of unity and motivation for concrete action,” said Bogoljub Džankić, a student of the Secondary Vocational School “Vaso Aligrudić”.
“This was very inspiring for me. It’s important for young people to gather and openly discuss challenges and opportunities in their city. The exchange of ideas and experiences showed how crucial it is for youth to be active participants in creating change, and I am especially glad that concrete proposals were made for improving the quality of life for young people in Podgorica,” added Una Perazić, a student of the “Slobodan Škerović” Gymnasium.
The Youth Café was held within the project “SYNERGY Montenegro – Strengthening Youth Networks and Empowering Resilient Groups and Youth in Montenegro,” implemented by CCE in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and NGO Multimedijal Montenegro, in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, with financial support from the European Union and co-financing from the Ministry of Regional-Investment Development and Cooperation with NGOs.
Jovana Radulović, Project Assistant