The meeting brought together representatives from ministries and regional and international partners to discuss further steps toward promotion of youth cooperation and youth participation in decision-making processes. The event was organized by RYCO and the Ministry of Sport and Youth of Montenegro, within the framework of Montenegro’s chairmanship of the Berlin Process for 2026.

During the event, decision-makers were presented with recommendations formulated by young delegates at the Western Balkans Youth Forum in Budva.

The Ministry emphasized that supporting youth and creating more opportunities for mobility, cultural exchange and cross-border cooperation is a direct investment in a more open and interconnected region.

“Culture and sport are among the most powerful bridges for bringing young people together, fostering mutual understanding and building trust across borders,” the Ministry stated. Held on the 10th anniversary of RYCO (Regional Youth Cooperation Office), the meeting also marked a step forward for RYCOncile – the RYCO Youth Trust Fund, a new mechanism aimed at supporting youth initiatives and strengthening regional cooperation, mobility, inclusion and trust-building. /p.s./

RYCO said that students and teachers from twelve high schools across the Western Balkans have been selected to take part in RYCO Superschools exchanges and learn more how physical activity, sport, and play can be used to address important social topics.

Through the program, participants will learn how sport can support the prevention of violence, strengthen social cohesion, break down prejudices and promote peacebuilding, among other topics.

The three selected schools from Albania are “Shyqri Lakra” high school in Berat, “Ali Demi” high school in Vlora and the vocational secondary school of Cerrik.

According to RYCO, what sets them apart from other Superschools participants is their focus on Sport for Development (S4D) methodology. This method uses sport as a powerful tool for tackling important social topics. This is fun, accessible, cost-effective, but rather efficient tool that includes not just play and physical activity, but the reflection as well.

“To prepare for the implementation of this innovative approach, twenty-four teachers from these schools participate in the 5-day S4D training in Tirana, scheduled from 27 – 31 January 2026. The training will equip teachers (one coordination teacher and the other being a physical education teacher) with practical skills and knowledge that they can apply during the exchanges and in their future work with students,” RYCO said in its announcement.

“Superschools”, RYCO’s flagship program, is a regional secondary school exchange scheme that aims to support the peacebuilding and reconciliation processes in the Western Balkans through school-to-school projects. RYCO Superschools is part of the multi donor project called “Western Balkans School Exchange Scheme” jointly financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO).

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Muzhaqi appreciated the meeting fruitful, full of initiatives and new activities.

Muzhaqi emphasized that, “RYCO should keep on supporting regional initiatives of youth cooperation in the Western Balkans and will step up efforts to make the dream of the young people for a better future come true”.

“In the quality of the RYCO Leading Board member, but also as Minister of State for Youth and Children, I offered my support and the government support as well for the regional cooperation of the young people and for the RYCO efforts to promote this initiative into a higher level”, said Muzhaqi. /a.a/p.s./