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1. Main concepts

2. Youth interest in global issues

Main concepts

The Croatian National Youth Programme for the period 2023 – 2025 is based on the EU Youth Strategy, and its priorities include:

• connecting the European Union (EU) with youth
• youth organisations and European programmes

Since the accession to the EU in 2013, the state body competent for youth, which is now the Central State Office for Demography and Youth, has been participating in the EU Youth Dialogue in Croatia. 

Youth Interest in global issues

Although there is no relevant research specifically on youth and global issues at the national level in Croatia, there are several studies on youth values and attitudes.

According to the data from Flash Eurobarometer No. 455  (published in 2018):

• 3% of young people in Croatia stayed abroad for the purpose of volunteering for less than 2 weeks, 1% for two to four weeks, and 1% for longer than one month
• 15% of young people had the opportunity to volunteer abroad but chose not to do so, while 80% of young people have not had the opportunity to volunteer abroad
• among young people who participated in any activities or projects aimed at fostering cooperation with youth from other countries, 12% engaged in activities and projects with young people from other European countries, 2% in activities and projects with young people from other continents, and 80% of young people have not participated

Respondents perceive (strongly and somewhat agree) that the effects of Croatia's EU integration led to (Gvozdanović et al. 2019): 

• better possibilities for traveling and making friends - 80% 
• better knowing of other cultures and religions - 76%
• better protection of human and minority rights in Croatia - 63%
• dependency of Croatia on more developed European countries (culturally, politically, economically, etc.) - 63%
• faster democratization of society - 58%
• better realization of Croatian interests in European politics - 57%
• better military protection of Croatia - 57%
• economic exploitation of Croatia - 55%
• better and higher-quality education system in Croatia - 54%
• quality and fast economic development of Croatia - 53%