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YouthWiki

EACEA National Policies Platform
Republic of North Macedonia

Republic of North Macedonia

9. Youth and the World

Last update: 21 March 2024

In general, the activities regarding global issues are initiated and implemented by Civil Society Organizations that are targeting youth.

The Republic of North Macedonia is part of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) which is a result of the Berlin process. RYCO office was established in Tirana and there is a local branch in all Balkan countries part of RYCO, as well as in Skopje. RYCO is aiming to promote the spirit of reconciliation and cooperation between the youth in the region through exchange opportunities and sharing experiences. RYCO is promoting reconciliation, trust, cooperation and dialogue in the Western Balkans through supporting and funding projects which bring youth of the region together.

European Youth Forum - a platform for national youth councils and international youth NGOs in Europe. It seeks to promote the rights of young people in international institutions such as the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations.

The European Youth Forum operates in the field of youth policy and youth work development. The focus of its work is on European youth issues, while through its global engagement, it improves the capacities of its members and also promotes global interdependence. In its day-to-day work, the European Youth Forum presents the views and opinions of youth organizations in all relevant fields and promotes the cross-sectoral nature of youth policy towards different institutional actors. The principles of equality and sustainable development are an integral part of the work of the European Youth Forum.

The forum consists of 44 National Youth Councils, 61 international youth NGOs, and 1 associate member including National Youth Council of Macedonia who become a member in 2015.

The Connecting Youth Platform (CY) is a platform for cooperation among Western Balkans umbrella youth organizations. CY is a grassroots regional youth platform implemented by Cooperation and Development Institute (CDI), together with the umbrella youth organizations of the six Western Balkans Countries - National Youth Congress of Albania, National Youth Council of North Macedonia, National Youth Council of Serbia, High School Students Union of Montenegro, The Kosovar Youth Council (KYC), Youth Council of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the support of Hanns Seidel Foundation, and with the support of Hanns Seidel Foundation.

With the aim to promote youth connectivity in the Balkans, CY offers a unique and tailor-made space to youngsters from the region where they meet, plan, organize, implement and voice up their action. In CY youngsters can find partners for joint activities, design and implement joint initiatives, exchange ideas, consult a youth library, and build and carry outreach and lobbying action. CY is designed to function as a resource center for youth in the Western Balkans.

In 2018, Greece and North Macedonia, under the auspices of the United Nations, signed the Prespa Agreement, resolving a long-standing dispute between the two countries. Apart from resolving the terminological differences, the agreement also covers areas of cooperation between the two countries in order to establish a strategic partnership between them. In the ‘Action Plan on the Intensification and Enrichment of Cooperation Between the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of North Macedonia, as Provided for in the Prespa Agreement’ it’s noted, that the parties (referring to the Governments of North Macedonia and Greece) shall support all forms of youth cooperation in order to tighten the

bonds and foster relations between young people in both countries, and to this effect, both Parties will invest efforts to establish a “Greece – North Macedonia Youth Office” as a body/platform that will work on improving ties between young people in both countries, strengthen their mutual understanding and

promote, encourage and facilitate meetings and exchanges between young people. This initiative was launched by the youth sector from both North Macedonia (by Youth Alliance - Krushevo) and Greece, through the ‘Cooperation for a Common Future’ initiative.

From 2021, the Republic of North Macedonia started implementing the UN Youth Delegate Programme, electing its first Youth Delegate to represent the young people of their country at the United Nations.

The youth delegate works on promoting and encouraging participation in  decision-making in the community development processes, as well as raising awareness on the importance of the UN for the young people. In addition, the delegate represents an important step towards enriching debate, political dialogue and cooperation between decision-makers and young people.