The Youth Office of the Capital City, in cooperation with the SALTO SEE Resource Centre and within the framework of the Europe Goes Local project, organised a study visit to Podgorica on 23–24 June for more than 40 youth workers from Slovenia, Poland, Germany, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova. The visit provided participants with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the current state of youth policy in the Capital City.
On the first day of the visit, participants toured the “Zona mladih” Youth Club. On this occasion, David Vukićević, President of the NGO Network for Youth Activism of Montenegro, whose organisation manages the club’s administrative and technical operations on behalf of the Capital City, delivered a presentation on the club’s work and highlighted the significant achievements made in youth work through its partnership with the Capital City. Participants were also addressed by Secretary Slađana Anđušić, who emphasised the continuous efforts of the Secretariat and the Capital City to improve the position of young people.
The delegation then visited the “Ognjište” Youth Club in Ublima, Kuči, where they learned about the specificities of youth work in rural areas, as well as the vision for strengthening and developing youth policy in this part of the city. Danilo Vučinić, representative of the Youth Office, presented the importance of the youth club and future plans for expanding youth infrastructure, while Filip Pavićević from the NGO For the Children of Kuči spoke about the local context of youth work.
During the visit, the youth workers were also introduced to the work of the Youth Council, one of the Capital City’s key mechanisms for improving the position of young people.
The second day was dedicated to presenting the current state of youth policy in Podgorica, the importance of cross-sectoral cooperation, and discussions on the title of European Youth Capital 2028.
The event opened with remarks by Deputy Mayor Boris Spalević, who highlighted the Capital City’s ongoing commitment to the development of youth policy.
Following this, Danilo Vučinić, on behalf of the Youth Office, delivered a presentation on the current state of youth policy, showcasing the numerous mechanisms and initiatives being implemented, with a particular focus on the significance of the European Youth Capital 2028 title and future plans for the development of youth work.
A panel discussion on the importance of cross-sectoral cooperation followed, featuring Capital City Secretaries Slađana Anđušić, Lina Lakić, Danijela Radeč and Stefan Vešović. Through an engaging discussion and exchange of experiences, participants gained valuable insight into the functioning of cross-sectoral cooperation and the activities being implemented for young people.
The programme concluded with a roundtable discussion involving members of the Governing Board and Executive Board of European Youth Capital 2028, including Zerina Kardović, Kristina Janković, David Vukićević, Danilo Bulatović and Branko Stešević. This session provided an opportunity to present in greater detail the implementation process of the title and the ways in which different stakeholders contribute to improving the position of young people.
The study visit reaffirmed Podgorica’s growing international recognition as the future European Youth Capital and as a city that systematically invests in the development of youth policy, encourages the active participation of young people, and promotes good practices in involving youth in decision-making processes.
As we move towards the European Youth Capital 2028 title, we remain committed to strengthening international cooperation and positioning Podgorica as an open, inclusive and European city dedicated to young people and to the development of transparent and sustainable youth policies.
