The “The Future is the EU” Youth Summit, organised by the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels in cooperation with the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has brought together 80 young people from across the country for a three-day conference with an aim of developing a Joint Youth Declaration that will articulate young people’s vision for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s path towards the European Union.
The Summit has been designed as a fully youth-led process, with members of the EU in BiH Youth Advisory Board driving the drafting process, while the whole work will also supported by thematic experts ensuring that the content of the document aligns with the European Commission Opinion and the necessary reform priorities.
„This Summit is proof that the next generation has a clear, constructive, and European vision for their country’s future. The Joint Declaration they are crafting is a message to EU leaders, but also to BiH’s decision makers that youth are engaged, informed, and determined to shape the path forward. The EU is here to listen, to amplify their voices, and to act on what they have to say.” stated the Head of the EU Delegation and the EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Luigi Soreca.
Participants came from 22 local communities, ensuring that the resulting declaration reflects a wide spectrum of youth perspectives from across Bosnia and Herzegovina. While working in parallel thematic tracks, they engaged in structured dialogue and collaborative drafting across five priority areas: Democracy, Rule of Law, and Public policies; Social Cohesion and Peacebuilding; Education and Jobs of the Future; Just Energy Transition, and Media and Information Literacy. Each track will produce a dedicated contribution to the Joint Youth Declaration, which will be consolidated into a single document through a joint validation process.
The finalised Joint Youth Declaration, will be formally handed over to the European Union leadership in the following months. The handover will highlight the EU’s commitment to listening to and amplifying youth voices in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Beyond the adoption of the Joint Youth Declaration, the Summit aims to demonstrate that a new generation of citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina is ready to take responsibility, engage constructively, and actively contribute to the country’s European future.
