WORKSHOP OF THE “SHAPE” PROJECT HELD IN ROME UNDERLINES THE KEY ROLE OF YOUTH IN BUILDING UP A BETTER SOCIETY

“Networks and perspectives for a joint programming” is the name of the workshop held on the 25th and 26th October in IOM office in Rome. The workshop was part of the SHAPE project, ‘Strengthening Serbia’s Human Capital through the Active Involvement of Young People’, promoted by IOM, funded by the Italian Cooperation and Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and implemented with the collaboration of Serbian Minister of Sport and Youth.

The aim of the project was to strengthen Serbian human capital: 10 Offices for Young People were opened throughout Serbia and 200 workshops and seminars where organized and attended by almost 4.000 young people. The offices have been opened in Subotica, Kragujevac, Uzice, Nova Crnja, Zrenjanin, Sremska Mitrovica, Svilajnac, Ivanjica, Soko Banja, Pirot.

Young people who work in the offices carry out activities such as: education to participatory citizenship, social theatre, peer education, psychosocial support.

Welcoming the participants of the workshop , the director of the coordinating office for the Mediterranean, José Angel Oropeza, underlined “the importance of young people in today’s society, their key role not only in improving their personal growth by sharing experiences with people coming from different countries, but also in building up a better future”.

“The project is intended to improve life conditions for the new generations”, says Head of the Psychosocial and Cultural Integration Unit of IOM Rome Rossella Celmi “and to foster their interethnic and social cohesion, with a special attention to local youth policies”

“Besides the opening of 10 Offices in Serbia”, explains Mrs. Celmi, “the initiative also included funding for 20 little projects promoted by young people associations and groups, whose project development skills will be reinforced.

This workshop was the last initiative of the project. The activities started in September 2008 and will end next 31st of December.