Young people in local communities throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina marked Youth Day with the support of IOM

Within their activities, the United Nations agencies in BiH have the opportunity to cooperate and support young people across Bosnia and Herzegovina. The celebration of Youth Day (August 12) this year extended throughout the entire month of August with giving focus to 30 young leaders who work every day to improve their communities - young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina deal with issues of great importance not only for youth, but also for their fellow citizens and society as a whole.

As part of these activities, IOM, through the  "Providing Support to Youth in Local Communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina" project, organized a series of events on International Youth Day in Jablanica, Bileća, Prijedor, and Bugojno.

In Jablanica, young people from nine local communities gathered for a fair where organizations and crafts producing healthy food, teaching responsible food waste management and recycling, were presented. The small fair also featured handmade textile products made by people on the move in the Temporary Reception Centers (TRC) in BiH.

In Bileća, the event was organized together with the Association of Parents "Echo", established through the IOM project. Young people and parents prepared interesting content for visitors, which included workshops for the youngest, live music, table tennis, while through the distribution of fruit and healthy juices, they aimed to send a message about the importance of a healthy diet.

In Bugojno, Youth Day brought together organizations dealing with youth issues and environmental protection, so attendees could hear about the Urban Farm and the cultivation of oyster mushrooms from coffee grounds, the Mountaineering Association of Koprivnica, section for sport climbing and mountaineering (disciplines Boulder, Lead and Slackline), about healthy supplements for preservation of health, and they were offered a healthy mobile bar, all with an entertainment and music program.

The work of the Red Cross, Scouts, Table Tennis Club, Youth Bank Prijedor, the Association of Students of the Faculty of Mining, and the work of the Rusag Association were presented in Prijedor. With these presentations, the organizers wanted to emphasize the importance of youth participation in creating opportunities in their communities, solving challenges and problems faced by the communities, but also to highlight youth as drivers of positive change in the communities in which they are active.

Participants expressed their satisfaction with the events, emphasizing that they are a wind in the sails for youth: “Such events are really important because they acknowledge the importance of youth engagement, they bring progressive youth to the spotlight, and encourage us to do more. We are very happy that our voices are heard, and that we get the support in creating opportunities and better communities.”

We are proud of the young people who set aside their time to make positive changes in their communities, and grateful for the opportunity to work with them daily.