The Secretary of the Secretariat for Local Self-Government and Cooperation with Civil Society, Slađana Anđušić, participated in the event “Youth Café”, organized by the Center for Civic Education (CCE) in Podgorica, which brought together young people from the Capital City.

During the event, Secretary Anđušić emphasized that all important decisions being made must include young people.

“Youth policies cannot be created without young people. This process must be two-way and involve their active participation. All decisions that shape society must include the voice of youth if we truly want to improve their position. Without their energy, ideas, and vision, we cannot speak about inclusive policies.”

She also highlighted the importance of a sincere and open approach toward young people:

“We need to show them that we are here for them, that we work in their interest, and that through concrete examples we can prove that what they say is respected and implemented. Therefore, continuous dialogue and trust are essential, as well as strong support and synergy between the national and local levels, so that we can develop youth policy to its full potential, following European practices.”

The goal of the event was to foster dialogue between young people and decision-makers, through joint efforts to find solutions for improving youth policies, focusing on topics such as employment, education, and youth perspectives.

The “Youth Café” was held as part of the project “SYNERGY Montenegro – Strengthening Youth Networks and Empowering Resilient Groups and Youth in Montenegro”, implemented by the CCE in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) and NGO Multimedijal Montenegro, in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, with financial support from the European Union and co-financing from the Ministry of Regional-Investment Development and Cooperation with NGOs.