DOOR OPEN FOR ALL OF EUROPE

OPENS 2019 Presented in Belgrade

In the House of King Petar I in Belgrade, the ambassadors of around 20 countries of Europe and the world, as well as the officials of republic, provincial and local institutions and establishments were presented the programme, activities and plans of OPENS2019, last night. The youth, youth organisations and organisations for young people have never had as much attention as we have it under the umbrella of the title of the European Youth Capital.

“More than 75,000 young people from all of Europe and the world participated in our programmes during last year. More than two thousand activities were executed with our partners from all of Europe and the world. Our goal is to use our activities to reach the number of half a million young people from all of Europe and the world who will be included in our activities. Therefore, I would like to invite you to work together this year, too and to check out our Open Door”, Vukašin Grozdanović, OPENS2019 Coordinator said at the event.

One of the basic goals of the OPENS programme is to establish the basis of sustainable policy which will serve as the example of good practice not only to other cities in Serbia, but even wider.

“This year, when the spotlight is on us, we want to show that when it is worked systematically, planned and continuously with young people, the results are coming and this year, when Novi Sad is European Youth Capital, let the model of Novi Sad be an example of good practice for the cities in Serbia and Europe”, Grozanović concluded.

Co-host of the night, the president of the Assembly of the City of Novi Sad, Zdravko Jelušić said that during this year, Novi Sad would be the lighthouse of the youth of Europe and that it was the opportunity for young people from Serbia to show that they are equal to their peers from other countries and that they would participate in the creation of Europe of the future.

“I would like to thank these young people who have done everything to win the title of European Youth Capital in November 2016. I would like to state that a year before, we did not have success with that, but the persistence always pays of and I believe that young people will learn something from that for the future. Persistence always pays off and we have become what we are: European Youth Capital”, the president of the Assembly of the City of Novi Sad, Zdravko Jelušić said, adding that that was the opportunity for young people in Serbia to show that they are equal to their peers in Europe who will create the Europe of the future.

Here reminded that at the last meeting of the City Parliament, the Local Action Plan for young people until 2022 had been adopted, stating that the Local Action Plan had been created by young people, “by those who will have the liability to implement it”.

The promotion of OPENS in Belgrade was organised in cooperation with Novi Sad Tourist Organisation, the City of Novi Sad and OPENS, within the International Tourism Fair in Belgrade where OPENS will have its booth this year.