Talk. Act. Activate! POLITEIA 2025 – Regional School for Young People Who Make a Difference!
Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE Are you ready to change things? Do you want your voice to be heard? Join the POLITEIA Regional School for Youth Participation 2025, taking place from September 21 to 27, 2025, in Belgrade, Serbia! POLITEIA is known as a school with tradition, yet always innovative and forward-thinking. Since 1997, when the first school for civil society was held, young people have gained valuable knowledge through this program about democracy, European values, and active societal participation. Thanks to its high-quality curriculum, dedicated lecturers, interactive working methods, and carefully selected participants, POLITEIA has grown into one of…
Visiting RYDE Partners and Sub-Grantees in the Region: Strengthening Youth Participation in the Western Balkans
Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE During June, representatives of the Center for Democracy Foundation, Dajana Ostojić and Katarina Stojković, visited partners and sub-grantees of the EU-funded project “Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe” in Sarajevo, Skopje, Pristina, North Mitrovica, and Tirana. In Skopje, we visited our partner organization NGO Info Center and sub-grantee LEAD – Leaders for Education, Activism and Development; in Kosovo, our partner Kosovar Stability Initiative and sub-grantee New Social Initiative; in Tirana, partner organizations Academy of European Integration and Negotiations (AIEN) and Youth Act Center (YA), and sub-grantee Beyond Barriers Association; and in Sarajevo, sub-grantees I Would Like to Be in the EU and PROI…
Bold Ideas, Real Impact: Western Balkans Youth Driving Change with the Active Achievement Fund
Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE Got a bold idea? The Active Achievement Fund is here to back it. Designed for informal youth groups across the Western Balkans, the Fund empowers young people to think boldly, act locally, and connect regionally. The Kosovar Stability Initiative (IKS) released a video highlighting regional cooperation and mobilization for youth participation awareness raising activities. The video was created as part of the Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe (RYDE) project, funded by the European Union. Open to Western Balkan youth (alumni of the Politeia School, RYDE interns, participants of Politeia thematic sessions, etc.) the initiative supports youth-led activities – from awareness…
Call for a Regional Internship Program 2025 is open!
Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE We are pleased to announce a great opportunity for 5 young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia to attend a paid internship in civil society organizations from Western Balkans. If you are a young person who wish to gain firsthand experience in civil society in Belgrade, Pristina, Sarajevo, Tirana or Skopje in a period of two months, learn about European integration, contribute to youth participation and structured dialogue and connect with young people from the region, apply for internship at this link. Deadline for submitting applications is 25th July 2025. You are an ideal candidate if…
Local Democracy Ensures that the Voices of Citizens and the Needs of the Community are Heard
Annual Conference of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) 2025. The President of the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) and Secretary General of the Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF), Nataša Vučković, participated in the Annual Conference of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), held on June 19, 2025, in Brussels. The conference brought together key actors from across Europe to exchange views on the state of democracy and strategies for its renewal. Discussions covered the future of democracy, new approaches in EU policy, international funding, the role of philanthropy, civil society, civic protests, and more. Speaking on the panel titled “From Crisis…
Call for Proposals for the Active Achievement Fund for Regional Informal Groups is open!
Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE We are officially launching the open Call for Proposals for the Active Achievement Fund for Regional Informal Groups within the framework of the project Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe funded by the European Union. The main objective of this Call is to strengthen creative groups in the Western Balkans, particularly informal ones, by providing financial support for initiatives aiming to: 1. Increase youth activism in their communities and participation in structured dialogue with decision makers on public policies relevant to youth 2. Advocate for the adoption of European values and strengthening of democratic and responsible institutions 3. Promote…
CDF Granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
Advocating for the Promotion and Protection of Economic and Social Rights of Citizens and Vulnerable Social Groups The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has adopted the recommendation of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations to grant the Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF) special consultative status. The Center for Democracy Foundation has been recognized for its longstanding work and commitment to promoting and protecting economic and social rights. CDF expresses its satisfaction with the opportunity to contribute its expertise and experience to the realization of the rights of all citizens, especially those from vulnerable social groups, through engagement and active cooperation with the UN Economic and Social…
“How to Strengthen Your Position in Supply Chains: ESG in Practice for Local Suppliers”
Initiative for Global Solidarity (IGS) Milena Mićović Trajković, representative of the Center for Democracy Foundation, participated in the conference titled “How to Strengthen Your Position in Supply Chains: ESG in Practice for Local Suppliers”, held on June 10, 2025, in Belgrade. The event focused on improving the implementation of responsible business principles, including ESG standards and due diligence practices within supply chains. The conference was organized by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, as part of the Initiative for Global Solidarity (IGS). Center for Democracy Foundation RECOMMENDED: Promotion of Due Diligence in the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (HREDD) >>>
Public debate “Youth Mental Health in Serbia: Is Society Ready to Recognize and Respond to the Crisis?”
Centre Dialogue – Social Forum The Center for Democracy Foundation, in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, organized a debate on June 3, 2025, titled “Youth Mental Health in Serbia: Is Society Ready to Recognize and Respond to the Crisis?”. The discussion featured: Aleksandra Parojčić, Institute of Mental Health of Serbia; Stanislava Vučković, UNICEF; Sara Dojčinović, Psychosocial Innovation Network (PIN); Milica Borjanić, National Youth Council of Serbia (KOMS); Snežana Mrvić, CEZAM; Mara Ognjenović, software engineer and influencer; Snežana Simić, retired professor of social medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade; Dobrila Marković, OPENS; Nataša Đereg, CEKOR; Aleksandar Popović, SKGO, among others. The debate was moderated by journalist Ivana Stojanović. The event addressed…
Meeting regarding the future of EU integrations
The National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) attended the meeting organized by the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, which was also attended by members of the Committee on European Integration and representatives of the international community. Despite the standing decision of the NCEU’s Program Council to suspend communication with political actors in processes that have lost inclusiveness and transformative potential, we chose to attend this meeting out of concern for the public interest and Serbia’s European future. Our aim was to once again underscore the critical need for Serbia’s European integration process to move beyond…
Youth and the 2030 Agenda public debate
“SDGs for All” Platform The Center for Democracy Foundation and the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation organized a public debate titled “Youth and the 2030 Agenda” on May 28, 2025, in Belgrade, within the Social Pillar of the “SDGs for All” Platform. The debate was co-financed by the European Union, within the “Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe (RYDE)” project. The public debate was held as part of the advisory activities of the Expert Thematic Groups – “Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls” and “Poverty Reduction,” within the “SDGs for All” Platform. At the panel discussion titled “Youth and Sustainable Development: A Dialogue on the Opportunities Awaiting the…
Attacks on Civil Society – Resistance to Reforms and Serbia’s European Path
The National Convention on the European Union strongly condemns the renewed campaign against civil society organizations, including members of the NCEU, spearheaded by the pro-government tabloid Informer. In this campaign, organizations and individuals are being labeled as “foreign agents” and alleged organizers of “future violent actions” merely for participating in the international POINT conference held in Sarajevo. We are particularly alarmed by the call for the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) to become involved in this campaign. We demand that BIA urgently and unambiguously clarify its position and any potential involvement. Silence in this case further undermines public trust in institutions…
