TIRANA – Young people are now facing different challenges compared to those they were facing before the coronavirus outbreak, it was said during the tenth meeting of the RYCO Governing Board, stated in a press release.
RYCO Governing Board discussed the organization’s plans and activities with a special focus on the current situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chair of the RYCO Governing Board for 2020, recently appointed Director of Agency for Youth and Sport of North Macedonia, Naumče Mojsovski opened the meeting and underlined that this is the first time the Governing Board is meeting in an online format due to the on-going pandemic.
Mojskovski pointed out that in the new normality, the youth policies should be high on the reform agendas of the Western Balkan governments but also highlighted the necessity to
strengthen the capacities of young people in the region.
He said that the young people are now facing different challenges comparing to those they were facing before the coronavirus outbreak and pointed out that the youth who do not have access to digital tools are among the most vulnerable ones.
“The inclusive approach and the team spirit are key factors to be considered when dealing with the issues young people are facing”, Mojskovski said adding that building the institutional capacities is contributing to building global peace.
RYCO Secretary General and RYCO Deputy Secretary General Đuro Blanuša and Fatos Mustafa, updated the Governing Board on the developments since the last meeting, outlining the political and COVID-19 related challenges.
They also presented RYCO’s organizational and program efforts conducted in this period.
The Governing Board meeting also endorsed the Youth Representatives’ statement on the Western Balkan youth and COVID-19 crisis. The statement outlines several actions that the stakeholders in the region should consider when responding to the on-going crisis.
Throughout its work, the Governing Board continues to exercise its unique composition in decision-making processes by equally engaging the governments’ officials and the young people”, they pointed out adding that it also ensures political support for strategic, operational and financial plans of RYCO from the Contracting Parties.