Director Ruiz Calavera was joined at the launch by EU Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Johann Sattler and EU Ambassador to Albania Luigi Soreca. The event also featured six young people who recounted their experiences of participation in an EU programme. The final session took the format of a Q&A with six Young European Ambassadors from the Western Balkans selected earlier this year.
“#EUandYOU – Your story, our future” is the first integrated campaign developed under the European Union’s Regional Communication Programme for the Western Balkans. It aims to encourage greater participation of young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia in EU programmes, covering the areas of education, training and sport (ERASMUS+), entrepreneurship (COSME – Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), culture and creativity (Creative Europe), and research and innovation (HORIZON 2020).
The campaign launch coincides with the launch of www.webalkans.eu. This new web portal has been designed to offer a user-friendly experience and serve as a one-stop-shop for stories, news, funding opportunities and related information on cooperation between the EU and Western Balkans.
“#EUandYOU – Your story, our future” is the first of three regional awareness campaigns which will be rolled out by the European Commission over three years. It comprises a vibrant multimedia mix, including testimonials from programme participants and animated video clips on each of the four EU programmes. TV, radio, outdoor advertising, web and social activity started on 16 November will run for one month.