Democracy and European integration begin at the local level, where citizens experience governance, participation, and public trust in their everyday lives.

📍 On the second day of the #ENGAGEUROPE Youth & Democracy Forum, discussions continued in #Shkodra, hosted by Universiteti i Shkodrës ‘Luigj Gurakuqi’. The sessions explored how local communities, higher education institutions, and young people can play a stronger role in advancing democratic participation and supporting the European integration process.

A central theme throughout the discussions was the importance of creating genuine opportunities for youth engagement. Students highlighted that meaningful participation depends on transparent processes, trust in institutions, and the ability to see tangible outcomes from their contributions. They also shared the realities many young people face in balancing education, employment, and personal responsibilities, making accessible and impactful participation mechanisms more important than ever.

Through open dialogue and the exchange of diverse perspectives, the Forum reinforced the value of empowering young citizens to actively contribute to shaping more inclusive, democratic, and resilient communities.

ℹ️ ENGAGEUROPE is led by SCiDEV (Albania) and implemented in partnership with Universiteti i Shkodrës ‘Luigj Gurakuqi’ (Albania), Asociación Youropia (Spain), CCIS Albania, Udruženje mladih sa hendikepom Crne Gore – AYDM (Montenegro), Solution (North Macedonia), Inicijativa mladih za ljudska prava – Hrvatska (Croatia), Youth Educational Forum – YEF (North Macedonia), and YIHR Serbia. The project is funded by the European Union under the #CERV Programme.