Finding the Missing Piece in North Macedonia

In the framework of “The Missing Piece: Youth, Peace, and Reconciliation – Capacity-building of Youth Workers & Youth Organisations to Engage Young People in Reconciliation Processes” project (P.Nr.: 2022-2-IE01-KA220-YOU-000096690), between May 16 and 23rd, partner organisations from North Macedonia, Ireland, Lithuania, Germany and Hungary got together in Bitola, North Macedonia for a study visit and group work.

Partners had the opportunity to visit cities such as Bitola, Ohrid, Tetovo, Struga and Skopje while visiting local, national and international organizations that work within the scope of peacebuilding and reconciliation, presenting their successes, challenges and best practices. The organisations visited were:

Center for Balkan Cooperation LOJA – which focuses on education & civic activism through the creation of a film festival and also engaged in receiving international volunteers – find more about them here: cbcloja.org.mk

Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) – which focuses on promoting reconciliation, trust, cooperation and dialogue in the Western Balkans since 2016 – find more about them here: rycowb.org

Local Development Agency LDA-Struga – which focuses on interethnic dialogue, social inclusion, and sustainable development – find more about them here: ldastruga.org

Macedonian Civic Education Center (MCEC) – which provides support for development of educational programs and democratic changes in the society. Find more about them here: mcgo.org.mk

Furthermore, partners had the opportunity to visit multiple sites in North Macedonia, such as the place of signing of the Prespa Agreement (an agreement reached in 2018 between Greece and the then-Republic of Macedonia, resolving a long-standing dispute between the two countries, covering the terminological differences and areas of cooperation between the two countries to establish a strategic partnership); the suburbs of Bitola, where ethnic minorities live outside of the municipality and police scope; and other historical monuments. Moreover, partners had the possibility to work together and plan the next steps for this project, which will continue until 2025.

This project is co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program. Its consortium is assembled by Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, TEIS Foundation, Culture Goes Europe e.V., CitizensACT, Varenos Kulturos Centras, and EKE Bitola.

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