At Prostor Karbon in Belgrade, young people from across Serbia once again had the opportunity to speak about important social issues.
More than one hundred young people from all over Serbia gathered on Wednesday, 15 November, for the sixth edition of Youth Rights Talks – the largest event on youth human rights in Serbia, organised by the Youth Programme of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights.
This year’s Youth Rights Talks focused on the right to education as a fundamental human right and the challenges young people in Serbia face in this area, ranging from unequal access to education, mistrust in institutions, and concerns and fears regarding safety in schools, to the need for meaningful reform of the education system.
Opening the event, Tomislav Žigmanov, Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, reflected on the position of young people in our society, stressing that young people in Serbia should not accept the role of bystanders, but should instead be partners who engage in dialogue with older generations and participate in decision-making together with them. “Through education, a child becomes a human being and a citizen, and in that way becomes a person who upholds the fundamental values of human rights – solidarity, empathy, moral integrity, humanity, respect, and acceptance of diversity, without which there can be no humane society,” he said, adding that education must always and everywhere be accessible to everyone and free of charge at every level.
Ivana Antonijević, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Tourism and Youth, highlighted the importance of non-formal education and the significant role that civil society organisations play in this process. “In addition to formal education, non-formal education empowers young people, enabling them to pass on their knowledge, experience, and strengths to others, while at the same time helping them recognise their own potential,” she said, adding that the Ministry is there to listen and consider how institutions can act in support of young people.
Fabio Scano, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia and Representative of the World Health Organization, praised Serbia for adopting the Youth Strategy, whose ultimate goal, in his words, is for young people to become part of decision-making processes. He added that “knowledge is a form of power that gives young people the tools to become active members of society.”
Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, spoke about the importance of engaging, empowering, and connecting young people as a strategic focus of the EU. “This is a valuable opportunity to hear directly from young people their ideas on how to adapt the education system to full personal development, respect for human rights and freedoms, and, most importantly, to their future,” Halacheva said in her opening remarks.
Following the opening ceremony, ten young speakers took the stage in a session entitled “Young People Take the Floor”, addressing a range of social issues, including formal and non-formal education, access to education, the importance of inclusive education, art and education, the quality of education, sign language in education, as well as creative proposals and initiatives that could significantly improve education in Serbia.
For the sixth consecutive year, Youth Rights Talks has provided young people with a space to freely express their views on current social issues and to ensure that young people’s perspectives, opinions, and personal stories are heard and recognised.
Under the slogan #DontStepOnFlowers, Youth Rights Talks 2023 brought together not only young people from across Serbia, but also representatives of international organisations, academia, youth workers, media professionals, decision-makers, and institutions dealing with youth issues, challenges, and the future of young people in Serbia.
The event was organised by the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, in cooperation with the United Nations Human Rights Team in Serbia. The event was supported by the European Union and the Ministry of Tourism and Youth. The event was part of the programme of activities “75 Days for 75 Years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
