The Process of Integration of the Youth in the Euro Region Danube XXI
General conclusions
European Movement in Serbia, EMinS’ Local Council in Zajecar and Zajecar Municipality organized international Conference "The Process of Integration of the Youth in the Euro region Danube XXI" from 21st to 23rd August, 2003 with financial support of the Dutch Embassy.
The
first International tripartite conference on the youth integration processes
in Euro region Danube XXI engaged 50 participants from Bulgaria, Romania
and Serbia. For three days they were discussing issues of economic, cultural
and ecological cooperation in three workshops. The Conference’s programme
also included expert lectures of Mrs.Edita Stojic-Karanovic, Institute
for International Economy and Politics, Mr. Dusko Lopandic, President
of the EMinS European Forum, Mr. Drazen Maravic, Vojvodina Executive Council
member and Mr. Nikola Jovanovic, The European Integration Sector Ministry
of International Economic Relations.
In three workshops named Culture and education; Economy, agriculture and infrastructure; Tourism and ecology there were altogether 43 participants - 23 from Serbia & Montenegro, 10 from Bulgaria and 10 from Romania. They represented non government organizations within various areas of activities (humanitarian, ethnic, ecological, scientific, geographical, tourism etc), schools, enterprises, scientific institutions, local and regional government organizations and boards, sport organizations and independent experts.
At the final day of the Conference workshops’ results and recommendations were presented. European Movement in Serbia believes that those conclusions will greatly contribute to the improvement of regional cooperation, initiate tangible projects and draw attention of the local decision makers and local community as well to the potentials and regional priorities. It opens the vast collaborations opportunities based on economic, geographic and social similarities of the region. It further opens possibility for addressing key issues like economy, security, ecology and culture on the level closer to the citizens.
Conference Recommendations
Culture and Education
The general advantages of the regional cooperation in this area would be:
- similar educational systems
- common need for reform in all the three countries
- available workforce to be trained in order to improve the quality of the educational and cultural processes
- all regions have rich cultural and historical values
- major advantage, as all agreed, is the fact that there are not any ethnical tensions in the region
There are also some disadvantages that need to be overcome:
- poor access to financing projects, generally because of the international economic situation
- severe drop of birth rate (which affects mainly the educational process)
- poor infrastructure
Recommendations
All three regions have common problem to deal with lack of interest shown by the pupils since they are passive when it comes to education. All the three parts/countries of the Euro region should initiate daring projects as the project "School of the Open Hearts" in Zajecar with alternative and open-minded methods. Modernization is the key word and in this sense creation of a virtual library was proposed as a place for alternative education which would provide easier access to books and hence to culture.
Organization of joint festivals, summer and creativity camps for paint and sculpture, theatre festivals in English to promote this language in order to be used on a large scale in the three euro regions-thus overcoming the language frontier.
Establishing International University in Vidin. The very purpose of this university would be to form an interdisciplinary academic institution, to prepare specialists who will be able to take leading positions in the state and in private structures and organizations in Balkan countries and in EU.
Organization of joint campaigns that would deal with common problems of the youth as drug addiction etc. Organization of trainings of young educators in three countries as an opportunity to share experience and knowledge.
Making an effort to involve youth-through a common effort-in the process of integration first in the Euroregion and eventually in the EU
Economy, Agriculture and Infrastructure
10 papers were presented on the workshop, 4 papers in the Economy subgroup, 3 papers in the Agriculture subgroup and 3 papers in the Infrastructure subgroup.
Recommendations:
- Economic development is the key factor for the overall development of the region and condition sine qua non for youth to stay, live and work in the region. The possibilities of Euro region is not used enough.
- Recommendation to the government of Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria to make some benefits and stimulus for investors.
- To open a new cross border points on the territory of the region, Kadi Bogaz between Serbia and Bulgaria and Derdap II between Serbia and Romania.
- To ensure (liberate laws for border traffic) free movement of people, goods and capital, especially for companies and people from Region DANUBE XXI
- To establish a bank for development of these three parts of the Euro region (Euro region Danube XXI Bank for Development).
- To strengthen culture and sports collaboration as:
- Competitions in different sports
- Music festivals
- Election of Miss Danube XXI
- Establishing regional newspapers, TV and radio programs
- To exam and study the structure and size of Euro region Danube XXI with the aim of increasing its efficiency
- Creating united and uniform date base (permanent virtual fair) with
the data on:
- Industry, companies, offers and requests for goods and services
- Culture activities, culture institutions
- NGOs, etc.
Ecology and Tourism
Identified problems are:
Recommendations
