“When I was 16, I had the opportunity to attend an international school where I experienced the true meaning of intercultural dialogue for the first time. Prior to this, it was unheard of that one of my closest friends would be Albanian, that I’d feel at home when in Greece or that I would call a Montenegrin my brother. I realized that through celebrating difference, we can find similarities and really come to understand each other better.”
“My country has suffered conflict throughout its existence, leading to widespread stereotypes and hatred. While we share a lot of things in common with other Balkan countries – in terms of culture, cuisine, social and economic structures, etc. it is sad to see that instead of building bridges, we continue to build walls.”
“The Balkan Leadership Initiative, is a youth organization that aims to create a sustainable communication and collaboration platform among young people from 5 different countries: Greece, Albania, Kosovo*, Serbia and Montenegro. The idea is to empower youth to become visionary leaders that will contribute to the progress of our region.”
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
