We are delighted to announce that the European Democracy Youth Network (EDYN) has been awarded a new grant from the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans to implement a year-long initiative empowering young civic and political leaders in Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia to advocate for their countries’ European future.
Titled “A Future Within Reach: From Disenchantment to Dialogue on EU Integration”, the project will equip EDYN members with the skills, networks, and platforms to strengthen their participation in public life and influence national and EU-level decision-making on enlargement.
Through a combination of capacity-building workshops, youth-led advocacy campaigns, and regional cooperation, the project will support EDYN members in shaping public discourse on EU integration, countering disinformation on enlargement, and advancing more open and inclusive civic spaces for youth across the region.
The initiative reflects EDYN’s mission to empower the next generation of pro-democracy civic and political leaders across Central and Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, and the South Caucasus. By fostering cross-partisan collaboration and dialogue among EDYN members in Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, it will also highlight the leadership of the young people EDYN invests in: those who have chosen to stay, engage, and invest in the democratic future of their countries.
Project Activities (January–December 2026)
From January to December 2026, 30 EDYN members in Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia will:
- Participate in advocacy trainings aimed at enhancing young leaders’ skills in grassroots organizing, stakeholder mapping and management, cross-partisan coalition-building, and strategic communication;
- Design and implement youth-led campaigns tailored to national and regional priorities, promoting constructive engagement with relevant institutions and policymakers responsible for EU-related reforms;
- Collaborate on a regional white paper capturing lessons learned and best practices for future youth-led advocacy;
- Share their work during a virtual multiplier event bringing together EDYN’s 830+ members, alumni, and partners across Europe and beyond.
This project represents another important step in EDYN’s growing portfolio of initiatives aimed at enhancing youth participation in civic spaces, advocacy, and policymaking. It builds on our ongoing work to connect young leaders across borders and equip them to act as credible, informed voices for democracy, accountability, and European integration.
We are honored by Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans’ trust in EDYN’s mission and deeply grateful for this partnership. Together, we look forward to amplifying youth voices and reinforcing the democratic fabric of the Western Balkans, one campaign at a time.
