International Youth Day: “I Want to Be Part of the Change”

On International Youth Day, Farah Serdarević’s story shows what can happen when young people are given the space, skills and opportunity to turn their ideas into action — and to contribute to more inclusive, connected and peaceful communities. At 17, Farah is already finding different ways to do exactly that through civic engagement, art, education and initiatives responding to challenges she sees in her hometown of Mostar. Her journey began when she started secondary school and began responding to calls for workshops and youth programmes. At first, she simply wanted to meet new people and learn more about herself.

What started as curiosity soon became something more.

“I realised that I wanted to be part of the change. I noticed that fewer and fewer young people were interested in what was happening in their community, and that is why I decided to channel my energy into social issues,” says Farah, who usually introduces herself with a smile and her nickname — Farki.

Stepping outside her comfort zone gave her a new perspective on society, civic engagement and the role young people can play in shaping the places where they live. Farah quickly realised that she did not want to remain an observer.

Through the Community of Volunteers, part of the Dialogue for the Future 3 (DFF3) initiative implemented with support from the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), Farah became part of a wider network of young people learning how to identify challenges in their communities, listen to citizens and turn what they hear into concrete proposals and initiatives. The programme creates opportunities for young people not only to participate in their own communities, but also to connect with peers from different parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, exchange perspectives and work around challenges that often transcend local boundaries.

Farah is one of 98 young volunteers from 10 communities across Bosnia and Herzegovina who have taken part in researching the needs and challenges of young people and citizens. In the process, they are building the skills, confidence and connections needed to engage constructively with others and become more active participants in community life.

For Farah, one issue stood out: accessibility.

“We realised that much of Mostar is still not adapted to allow people with disabilities to move around freely and with dignity, so we decided to launch an initiative to change that,” she explains. “When we identify a problem, I believe we should try to do something about it.”

For Farah, this is what meaningful participation looks like: identifying an issue that affects people around her, listening to different perspectives and looking for ways to respond.

But civic activism is only one way she expresses herself. Art is another. Recently, Farah presented her first large-scale artwork — a canvas measuring almost two by two metres. Combining different techniques, the piece reflects on politics, mental health, interpersonal relationships and the pressures people carry. For her, art offers another way to engage with the issues around her and express things that can sometimes be difficult to put into words.

Her curiosity has also taken her into science, history and literature. At the European Researchers’ Night, Farah and her team won first place with an environmentally sustainable idea, while other projects have allowed her to combine research, creativity and teamwork.

Yet when she speaks about what matters most, she does not focus on awards. She talks about people, participation and having the confidence to act.

“I believe young people can change their communities when they decide to be vocal, creative and persistent. Whether through activism, art or education, I want to show that change always begins with the individual.”

Her mother, Slađana, says that this sense of responsibility has been nurtured from an early age.

“I raised my children with the belief that every revolution in the world was started by one person who had a vision. Farah embraced that idea completely. She is persistent, determined and deeply empathetic, especially when she recognises injustice. In a word — she is unapologetically herself.”

Farah’s story is one individual example of a broader peacebuilding approach: creating spaces where young people can participate, listen to others, cooperate across differences and develop practical responses to issues affecting their communities.

Through the Community of Volunteers, young people from different parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina are engaging with citizens, identifying needs and developing their own initiatives. At the same time, opportunities to meet and work with peers from other communities allow them to exchange experiences, discover shared concerns and build relationships beyond their immediate surroundings.

This is central to Dialogue for the Future 3. By strengthening youth participation and creating opportunities for dialogue and cooperation across communities, the PBF-supported initiative seeks to build trust, strengthen social cohesion and enable young people to play a more meaningful role in shaping their communities.

On International Youth Day, Farah’s experience is a reminder that young people are not simply beneficiaries of peacebuilding or voices of the future. They are already partners in building more inclusive and peaceful societies today — when they are given meaningful opportunities to participate.

For Farah, it begins with noticing what could be better and deciding not to look away.

And she has no intention of waiting for someone else to take the first step.

The Community of Volunteers is implemented by the Local Democracy Agency Mostar as part of Dialogue for the Future 3 (DFF3), jointly implemented by UNDP, UNICEF and UNESCO, in partnership with the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with support from the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF).