2021-04-12

Applications are open for Politeia Western Balkans School for Youth Participation

Politeia Goes Digital!

The Center for Democracy Foundation continues to hold the traditional POLITEIA school, this year in a new online format. After POLITEIA was expanded to the region in 2019 through the project Regional Youth Compact for Europe, it received the slogan Politeia Goes Regional, which this year becomes Politeia Goes Digital.

"POLITEIA Western Balkans School for Youth Participation" will be held from 7 to 29 May 2021 through the new digital educational POLITEIA platform.

The first POLITEIA school for civil society took place in 1997 during the large civic and student protests where youth gained knowledge of democratic and European values. Since then, hundreds of young people were taught and motivated to actively participate in social and political processes. It is recognized as one of the leading non-formal educative programs in the Western Balkans because of its great choice of lecturers, interactive methodology as well as choosing qualified participants.

Some of the main topics of this year’s Politeia will be:

Why is the European Union important to us?
Is there development and perspectives for youth without the rule of law?
What kind of education do we want?
Cooperation and reconciliation in the Western Balkans – looking back, looking ahead
Democracy in the local community – the idea and practice of active citizenship
Young people in dialogue with the state – to participate in the design and discussion of public policies;
European Union and Enlargement – View from Brussels, View from the Western Balkans

Participation in the POLITEA Western Balkans School for Youth Participation is open to final-year undergraduate students, graduate students, young professionals and scholars up to and including the age of 28. Participants will be chosen according to their academic, activist and political achievements that relate to the theme of the School. They need to show a firm understanding of the EU Integration process in the Western Balkans and Turkey and a strong interest in the areas of the rule of law, fundamental rights, employment and social policy and the design and monitoring of public policies.

The opening ceremony of the school is planned for May 7, 2021, while workshops will be held every Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm, and lectures every Tuesday and Thursday from 4 pm to 6 pm, until May 29, 2021 via the POLITEIA platform.

We invite all interested to apply via the following form. Please note that the application deadline is April 23, 2020.

The project is supported financially by the European Union with co-financing from the Balkan Trust for Democracy.