Organized by the Secretariat for Local Self-Government and Cooperation with Civil Society of the Capital City, an event titled “EYC 2028: Youth Perspectives and Potentials” was held last night at the premises of the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro, dedicated to promoting Podgorica’s candidacy for the title of European Youth Capital 2028 (EYC 2028).
The event brought together numerous stakeholders from the youth sector – representatives of civil society organizations, institutions, and young activists – creating an open space for dialogue and joint development of a vision for the city’s growth from the perspective of young people.
The event was opened by Slađana Anđušić, Secretary of the Secretariat for Local Self-Government and Cooperation with Civil Society, who emphasized the importance of involving young people in all phases of planning, creating, and implementing public policies. She highlighted that the Capital City’s candidacy for EYC 2028 represents an opportunity for concrete, long-term changes that will improve the quality of life for young people in Podgorica.
After the opening remarks, Danilo Vučinić from the Secretariat and Sara Nikčević from the Capital City Assembly Service presented the details of the candidacy. On that occasion, the official website of the “Podgorica EYC 2028” initiative was launched, which will serve as the main informational and participatory channel for all future activities within the campaign.
The central part of the event was a panel discussion on the topic “EYC 2028: Youth Perspectives and Potentials,”moderated by Ksenija Borilović from the Secretariat.
The panelists were:
Ajša Hadžibegović, NGO “UPOR”;
Anđelija Lučić, NGO “Forum MNE”;
David Vukićević, NGO “MOACG”;
Dušan Brajović, Union of High School Students of Montenegro;
Ivana Popović, Student Parliament of the University of Montenegro.
Through a highly substantive discussion, participants addressed numerous aspects of youth policy: the role of youth work in urban environments, education and professionalization of youth workers, support and visibility of youth initiatives, and the genuine participation of high school and university students in decision-making processes. The panelists highlighted the need for long-term sustainability of youth programs, standardization of youth club operations, as well as the urgent need for institutionalized communication channels between young people and decision-makers.
The discussion further deepened the understanding of the current state and challenges faced by the youth sector, while also emphasizing the great potential that the EYC 2028 title can have for systemic reform of youth policy in Podgorica and beyond.
In the closing part of the event, a networking session was organized during which representatives of civil society organizations and local government discussed the challenges that young people continuously face and exchanged ideas about future project activities that could be implemented within the EYC 2028 initiative.
Through such activities, the Capital City clearly demonstrates its commitment to strengthening the role of young people in society and positioning Podgorica as a European-relevant and progressive city—ready to bear the title of European Youth Capital 2028.
For more information about the candidacy and planned activities, visit the official website: