Members of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) officially commenced their term, by joining a kick-off meeting in Sarajevo, which brought together 15 young leaders from across the country.
During this first meeting, members of the YAB had the opportunity to meet one another, exchange ideas, and begin building a joint strategy for their future work. During the working sessions, participants discussed their expectations, motivations, and the challenges youth faces, while also reflecting on modes of participation, as well as their roles and responsibilities.
The members were welcomed by ambassador Luigi Soreca, the Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in BiH, who highlighted the importance of this new partnership between the EU and young people across BiH which recognises youth not only as beneficiaries of policies, but as partners in shaping them. “The Youth Advisory Board brings together a diverse group of activists, students, engineers, journalists, researchers and youth workers whose ideas, energy and leadership are essential for the country’s future. Their role will be to advise, challenge and inspire us, helping the EU better understand the aspirations of young people. The EU remains committed to creating spaces where youth voices truly matter, and we look forward to working closely with this new generation of changemakers.”, ambassador Soreca stated.
The discussion also focused on defining realistic opportunities and limitations for youth engagement, and identified priority areas for the first six months of the Board’s work, including activities and policies group would jointly tackle.
Mia Selena Lerch, a Board member from Banja Luka, emphasised that her goal during her mandate is to authentically represent the needs and perspectives of young people in BIH and translate them into concrete and actionable recommendations for the EU in BiH. “The focus of our work needs to be on the active contribution to the development of inclusive policies and initiatives, grounded in the real challenges faced by youth, and aimed at their long-term empowerment. With a particular focus on strengthening dialogue between young people and institutions, YAB needs to put a spotlight on the initiatives that foster youth inclusion and visibility nationwide.”, Mia Selena concludes.
Members of the Board highlighted the importance of this experience and the opportunity for young people’s voices to be systematically included in processes shaping the country’s future and addressing key social challenges. “Femicide is an issue of fundamental civilisational importance, and without addressing it, we cannot move forward. Throughout 2026, I will dedicate every effort to reversing its growing trend through stronger institutions, increased youth awareness, and improved data monitoring,” said Emelin Macić, a Board member from Sarajevo. He added that he will also advocate for balancing urban and rural development through public-policy-based initiatives.
In the coming period, Board members will continue working on the priority topics defined during this meeting through planned follow-up sessions, where progress will be reviewed and next steps agreed.
