Serbia - The European Train Tour
23.03.2024 | BELGRADE, SERBIA
PROSTOR MILJENKO DERETA, DOBRAČINA 55, 11000 BEOGRAD
The Tour will consist of decentralised one-day events coordinated by FYEG across Europe and will show young people how EU politics impacts their lives and why they should vote in the 2024 EU elections in June!
Why are we starting outside the EU? Serbia, like other European nations, deserves to be part of our European Union. We want to hear the voices of young people in Serbia and make them part of building a better EU.
If you are in Belgrade or another city in the region on 23.03.2024, sign up to spend a day with Greens, NGO representatives, activists and others and delve into how the EU affects Serbia and other Balkan countries now, what Serbian accession would mean especially for the youth, and what has to be done to achieve better European integration.Visit our page to learn how to register, the programme and speakers.
The project is realised with funding from the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe.
PROGRAMME
9:30 - 10:00: Arrival and Registrations
10:00 - 10:30: Welcome
A few words from the organisers on the political significance of the event.
10:30 - 12:00: Shifting Perspectives: How to influence and change public opinion about the EU - political take
An exciting session where we will dive into the strategies and hurdles of shaping public opinion about joining the European Union. Despite the significant historical importance and potential advantages of EU integration, feelings towards it in Serbia have been mixed and intricate. Our discussion will explore creative methods and successful communication tactics to encourage a more optimistic and educated view of EU accession among Serbians. We'll draw from the experiences of Green politicians in Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia to inspire our conversation.
The session will feature presentations and interviews with our guests, as well as interactive activities involving all participants.
12:00 - 12:30: Coffee break and networking [vegan]
12:30 - 14:00: Parallel sessions
A) Youth Panel: Young People, Politics and the EU
Join us for a discussion on the role of young people in the EU accession process, their perspectives on the EU—an organisation that will shape significant parts of their lives—and how it may impact their futures. We will also delve into how EU accession could influence the aspirations, values, and identity of young Serbians. Our panel includes young individuals from civil society and politics, sharing their own experiences and insights, as well as those of their peers.
The session will feature an interactive fish-bowl debate, providing a platform for all participants to share their thoughts and reflections.
B) Economic Advancement and Democracy: How an Accession to the EU Will Change Serbia’s Political and Economic Landscape
Join us for an insightful panel discussion on the economic and democratic dimensions of Serbia's accession to the EU. We will address pressing questions such as how Serbia can ensure that the economic growth resulting from EU accession is inclusive and benefits all segments of society. Additionally, we will explore the specific economic benefits that Serbia stands to gain from EU accession and how the EU can support Serbia in tackling challenges such as corruption and upholding the rule of law during the accession process. Our panel will feature discussions with civil society actors and established experts in the field, providing diverse perspectives and valuable insights.
The session will feature an interactive fish-bowl debate, providing a platform for all participants to share their thoughts and reflections.
14:00 - 15:00: Lunch and networking [vegan]
15:00 - 16:00: Migration: The Balkan Route - EU’s Laws and Politics
Organised with the support of No Name Kitchen.
This interactive session will examine how practices at the Serbia-EU borders, marked by violence and illegal pushbacks, influence migration patterns and regional stability. Additionally, we will analyse the EU's strategy of outsourcing border control to countries like Serbia, exploring its impact on migrants' rights, access to asylum, and regional cooperation.
16:00 - 16:15: Break
16:15 - 17:15: Serbia and the EU. One-on-one with MP Radomir Lazović [CHANGE]
An interview with the co-president of the Green–Left Front, who has been a member of the National Assembly of Serbia since 2022, will focus on the contemporary political perspective regarding Serbian accession, Russian-Serbian relations, and his views on what improvements the EU needs to make to become a Union that is just, equal, and driven by solidarity.
17:15 - 17:30: Closing
A few words on other European events and possibilities for engagement in Serbia and beyond.
17:30 - 18:15: Networking speed-dating
Get a chance to interact with all the speakers and participants and ask the most important questions. Why is voting in any elections important? What happens if people do not vote? How do you intend to shape the future of your country and Europe? Leave a permanent mark on FYEG’s European campaign by contributing to our reflection wall!
Speakers
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Biljana is a Serbian politician and a docent at the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Belgrade. A member of the Green–Left Front (ZLF), she has served as a member of the National Assembly of Serbia since 1 August 2022.
MP Đorđevic is a speaker of the session ‘Economic Advancement and Democracy: How an Accession to the EU will Change Serbia’s Political and Economic Landscape’.
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Danilo Ćurčić is a founder and programme coordinator of the A 11 – Initiative for Economic and Social Rights, that works to bring economic and social rights to the most vulnerable population in Serbia. He undertook bachelor studies in law at the University of Belgrade, and, as a Chevening Scholar, completed master’s studies in economic, social and cultural rights at the University of Essex. Danilo was part of the cohort 2020/2021 of the Atlantic Fellowship for Social and Economic Equity.
Danilo’s main interests lie in the right to housing and the urban segregation of marginalised populations, systemic issues relevant to the enjoyment of economic and social rights, and the connections among economic, social, civil, and political rights. His other areas of interest include discrimination and the criminalisation of poverty and the effect of economic policies on the exercise of economic and social rights.
Danilo is a speaker of the session ‘Economic Advancement and Democracy: How an Accession to the EU will Change Serbia’s Political and Economic Landscape‘.
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Sofija Todorovic is the Programme Director of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR). She has been awarded with the ‘Ledolomac’ human rights prize by the Liberal Democratic Party, Serbia, in 2018, and a Feminist Achievement Award for 2019, by BeFem, a Serbian feminist cultural centre. Particularly interested in democracy issues, human rights, LGBT+, gender equality, political landscape and media freedom.
Sofija is a speaker of the session ‘Youth Panel: Young People, Politics and the EU’.
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Serbian activist, politician, and designer. A co-president of the Green–Left Front (ZLF), he has served as a member of the National Assembly of Serbia since 2022.
MP Lazović is the special guest of the session ‘One on with a politicia
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Georgi is the Secretary General of CDNEE. He has been a part of the green political family for over five years now; first, he joined Young Greens in Georgia in 2018 where he became a spokesperson and contributed to the growth and revitalisation of the organisation. And from 2020 until 2021 he was working as a Secretary General of Mtsvaneebi – a movement founded by Young Greens to expand its membership and include people of all ages. Meantime, Giorgi has also been active in CDN and was part of the Executive Committee for two terms – from March 2020 and reelected in April 2021 His main interests and political engagements are party politics, democracy and international affairs as well as climate and environmental protection.
He will deliver a speech in the ‘Welcome’ session.
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Ivana is an experienced volunteer and reproductive justice activist currently studying film and theatre production in Zagreb. For the last three years, she has been an elected coordinator of the youth group at Možemo.
In her political work, she focuses on reproductive rights, menstrual poverty and youth policy as well as empowering young people within their party.
Ivana is the speaker of the session ‘Shifting Perspectives: How to influence and change public opinion about the EU - political take‘.
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Danilo is a speaker of the session ‘Shifting Perspectives: How to influence and change public opinion about the EU - political take‘.
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Benedetta will deliver a speech during the ‘Welcome’ session and moderate the session ‘Economic Advancement and Democracy: How an Accession to the EU will Change Serbia’s Political and Economic Landscape‘.
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Is a speaker of the session ‘Youth Panel: Young People, Politics and the EU‘.
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Emil Schenkyr is a true European and young politician from Germany. Emil is a member of the Executive Committee and treasurer of FYEG. With a background in international youth exchange, intercultural communication is the basis on which his work in European politics rests. As a young politician, he fights for a European freedom. That is a Europe free from autocracy and a Europe where the climate crisis is met head-on.
Emil is a moderator of the session ‘Youth Panel: Young People, Politics and the EU‘.
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Marta is the moderator of the session ‘Shifting Perspectives: How to influence and change public opinion about the EU - political take’.
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Mirka Del Pasqua is an associate of No Name Kitchen.
Mirka is a speaker of the session ‘Migration: The Balkan route - EU’s laws and politics’.
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Stefan Marić is an economist and a member of ZLF and ZOS. He was part of the socioeconomic policy group of ZLF party predecessor, Ne Davimo Beograd. He worked as an economic researcher on several CSO projects including for A11 and Trag Foundation. He writes about economics and politics for domestic and regional media portals like Mašina, Bilten, Slobodni Filozofski, etc.
Stefan is a speaker of the session ‘Economic Advancement and Democracy: How an Accession to the EU will Change Serbia’s Political and Economic Landscape‘.
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Bojana is a member of Zelena Omladina Srbije.
Bojana is a speaker of the session ‘Migration: The Balkan route - EU’s laws and politics’.
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Marko is a speaker of the session ‘Shifting Perspectives: How to influence and change public opinion about the EU - political take‘.
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Tilde is the organiser of the event. She will open the ‘Welcome’ session and co-moderate ‘Youth Panel: Young People, Politics and the EU’.
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Velemir is a speaker of the session ‘Youth Panel: Young People, Politics and the EU‘.
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Pietro is an associate of No Name Kitchen.
Pietro is a speaker of the session ‘Migration: The Balkan route - EU’s laws and politics’
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Filip is a speaker of the session ‘Youth Panel: Young People, Politics and the EU’.
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Emilija Milenković is a Research Assistant at the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability, an independent, non-partisan civil society organisation committed to developing democratic culture and civic activism.
Emilija is an activist, feminist, local patriot, and student at the Faculty of Political Sciences. She is interested in youth policy, non-formal education and youth participation in political and decision-making processes. She believes that young people are the greatest driving force of society. In free time, she breaks down gender barriers. She is also associated with the Student Initiative Borba.
Emilija is a speaker of the session ‘Economic Advancement and Democracy: How an Accession to the EU will Change Serbia’s Political and Economic Landscape‘.