The first Regional Activism Conference “Empowering Youth: Civic Activism through Service-Learning” was held on December 13, 2024, in Tuzla. The conference was organized by the International Association “Interactive Open Schools” (MIOS) Tuzla in cooperation with partner organizations TOKA (Kosovo) and Forum MNE (Montenegro), with the participation of representatives from six Western Balkan countries: Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The conference brought together more than 80 participants who, through discussions and presentations, exchanged knowledge and experiences in the fields of civic activism, community mobilization, and building partnerships with state and non-state actors. A special focus was placed on promoting regional cooperation and applying Service-Learning as a model that fosters active youth engagement and strengthens their competences for social change.
The event also provided an opportunity to present the Service-Learning Strategy, as well as successful practices supported through the SMART Balkans project and featured as part of the Regional Service-Learning Award 2024.
A symbolic signing of a joint pledge for the future marked the participants’ commitment to further strengthening youth civic activism through regional cooperation and concrete activities.
The hosting of this conference represents an important step toward building regional connections and creating a framework for the long-term empowerment of young people, highlighting Service-Learning as a tool that links education and activism, with the aim of building active, responsible, and socially engaged communities.