1.8 Cross-border cooperation
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Cooperation with European countries
Slovak Republic currently cooperates in the field of youth with following partners:
Czech Republic
Cooperation in the field of youth between the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic is supported by the Protocols on Cooperation, which take the form of the meeting of the Czech-Slovak Joint Commission for Youth. The area of Czech-Slovak cooperation in the field of youth is set at several levels: the level of ministries and theirs directly managed organizations, the level of national youth councils and the level of youth information centers.
In accordance with Article 13 of the Protocol between the MESRS and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic on cooperation in the field of education, youth, physical education and sports for 2002-2006, after a six-year break, the seventh meeting of the Slovak-Czech Joint Commission for Youth was held in May 2018 in Bratislava. The Commission focused on informing about current developments in the field of youth policy in both countries, talent support, the system of using the Structural Funds and current projects of national youth councils. It also focused on the exchange of experience in the field of preparations for the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps and the preparation of the Presidency in the V4. The meeting of the commission was attended by representatives of ministries and their directly managed organizations, representatives of the National Youth Councils of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and directors of national Erasmus + agencies.
Montenegro
In June 2017, a Cooperation Program was signed between the MESRS and the Ministry of Education of Montenegro in the field of education for 2017-2021. This document also includes direct cooperation and exchanges between youth councils institutions working with children and young people.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
In 2017, the Memorandum in the field of youth was finalized between the MESRS and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The memorandum focuses mainly on the support and development of cooperation between youth organizations and institutions in the Slovak Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina, strengthening bilateral cooperation by exchanging documents and research materials published at youth conferences and meetings in both countries, organizing joint youth working groups consisting of young people from these two countries. and joint planning of other youth programs. This memorandum is a document of a political nature, from which the parties do not derive rights and obligations under international law (Article 1 (3) of the Rules for the Conclusion of International Treaties and Contractual Practice)
A memorandum on cooperation in the field of youth between the MESRS and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina was signed in April 2018 in Sarajevo. In 2019, a delegation from Bosnia and Herzegovina visited Slovakia.
The Republic of Serbia
The agreement between the MESRS and the Ministry of Sport and Youth of the Republic of Serbia for the period 2012-2016 in the field of youth work was signed on 31 January 2012 in Bratislava. The co-operation took place mainly in the form of study visits at various levels (ministerial, institutions, non-governmental sector) and through the coordination on youth policy issues at European level. The relevant institutions working in the field of youth in both countries and the non-governmental sector were involved in the cooperation. In December 2015, during a bilateral visit to Bratislava, an Action Plan for Cooperation for 2016 was drawn up, during which exchanges of experts aimed at sharing experiences in the field of youth policy at the local level took place. In October 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Belgrade between the MESRS and the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Serbia on cooperation in the field of youth and sport.
V4 Visegrad Group
Visegrad Group (V4 - Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic) ) has been developing relationship with substantial dialogue across a wide range of youth issues. In the field of youth, the cooperation of the Slovak Republic with the V4 countries is carried out annually on the basis of the official program of the currently presiding country in the Visegrad Group.
As part of the Slovak presidency of the V4 countries (1 July 2018 - 30 June 2019), the MESRS in cooperation with IUVENTA organized a seminar in April 2019 on the support and development of talents called Discover Youth Talents for the V4 countries, the Eastern Partnership and for the first time, for the Western Balkans. The aim of the seminar was to discuss the positive influence and enabling the full development of the potential and talent of individuals in non-formal and informal learning, to share examples of good practice and to emphasize the role of talent support and development in various fields.
International cooperation
Republic of Korea
On November 21, 2017, an international agreement was signed in Seoul, a Memorandum of Understanding concluded between the MESRS and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of the Republic of Korea on cooperation in the youth field. The aim of the memorandum is to encourage and strengthen cooperation between countries in the youth field through youth exchanges, the exchange of information and experience and participation in events.
In July (SVK → KR) and in September (KR → SVK) 2018, a Korean-Slovak youth exchange program was implemented as part of the implementation of a memorandum, which was attended by five youth delegates from each country. The aim of the exchange was to gain knowledge about youth policies, exchange experiences in the field of activities for young people, participate in professional discussions on youth policy, develop non-formal education or get acquainted with the life and problems of youth in individual countries.
The United Nations Youth Delegate
MESRS in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic and the Association of Regional Youth Councils (AKRAM) renewed the function of the youth delegate of the Slovak Republic to the UN. The mission of the project is to represent Slovak youth at the UN, representing the interests of Slovak youth at the global level, promoting and fulfilling human rights and subsequently spreading awareness of the UN and opportunities for participation, active citizenship and sustainable development goals among Slovak youth. IUVENTA is the coordinator of the UN youth delegate programme.
Slovak Youth Delegate to the World Health Organization
In 2020, the MESRS, in cooperation with IUVENTA, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic and the Student Council of Universities, created a new program for young people - the Slovak Youth Delegate to the WHO.
The Eastern Partnership
The Slovak Republic took over the presidency of the V4 in July 2014, during which a Memorandum on cooperation in the youth field between the V4 countries and the Eastern Partnership countries was prepared and signed (signed in Bratislava on 22 June 2015). By signing it, the ministers declared their interest in developing and supporting cooperation in the field of youth of both groups. The memorandum was not signed by Azerbaijan, but it still plans to continue cooperating with the V4 and EaP.