Tivat – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)’s EU-funded Western Balkans Youth Lab 2 (WBYL2) organized a fifth Fireside Talk with High-Level officials, within the framework of the Adria Future Summit 2026 in Tivat. Fireside Talk titled “Shaping the Future: Youth Cooperation and EU Integration” provided a unique platform for direct and open dialogue between young leaders and policymakers.

Young people from across the Western Balkans six played an active role, posing direct questions and steering the discussion towards issues of key importance for their generation to the high-level speakers including Amer Kapetanović, RCC Secretary General; Filip Ivanović, Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro for Foreign and European Affairs; Kevin Colgan, Ambassador of Ireland to Serbia and to Montenegro; Johann Sattler, Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro; and Biljana Braithwaite, Founder of Sustineri Partners and the Adria Future Summit.

Topics included the stability of the Western Balkans, progress in the European Union integration process, and strengthening regional cooperation. The panel was moderated by Ognjen Marković, Team Leader of the Western Balkans Youth Lab 2 at the RCC.

Kapetanović emphasized the importance of embedding youth across broader policy frameworks. “Regional Cooperation Council plays a crucial role in ensuring that youth is not treated in isolation, but embedded within wider development strategies and recognised as a cross-cutting priority linked to economic growth, social cohesion, and democratic resilience,” said Kapetanović, underlining that initiatives such as the Western Balkans Youth Lab are designed precisely to transform the voices of young people into tangible results that contribute to a more connected region.

Ivanović highlighted Montenegro’s leading position in the EU accession process, noting that the goal of full EU membership by 2028 is realistic. “We cannot reach this goal without the energy and critical thinking of our young generations,” Ivanović said, adding that through its presidency of the Berlin Process and hosting of the upcoming EU-Western Balkans Summit, Montenegro is demonstrating its commitment to regional stability in which young people must be active creators of public policies.

Throughout the discussion, young participants raised concrete questions on the EU integration process, seeking clearer timelines and more involvement. They also emphasised the need for greater access to opportunities, including quality education, mobility programmes, and fair employment prospects within the region, stressing that staying in the Western Balkans six should be a viable and attractive choice. In addition, young people called for stronger inclusion in decision-making processes, highlighting that their perspectives are essential for shaping policies that directly impact their future and the region’s path towards the European Union.

Sattler emphasised the need to engage, connect, and empower young people by giving them a structured role in shaping the European agenda, expanding opportunities through programmes such as Erasmus+, and ensuring that investments in education and skills translate into real prospects, resilience, and long-term trust in the European path. Kevin Colgan highlighted Ireland’s experience as a strong example of the transformative impact of EU membership, stressing the importance of open dialogue and the decisive role young people play in addressing complex societal challenges. Biljana Braithwaite further emphasised the importance of platforms that connect diverse stakeholders, noting that investing in knowledge and opportunities for young people is essential for building a sustainable future in the region, and highlighting cooperation with the RCC as a key driver of youth empowerment.

The session was marked by a high level of engagement from young participants, who raised numerous questions and actively contributed to shaping the discussion. Highlighting this format of open, direct dialogue as the way they want to be heard and involved in decision-making processes affecting their future.

Prior to the session, RCC Secretary General Amer Kapetanović delivered a keynote address at the opening of the Adria Future Summit on ‘Regional Cooperation and the Road to EU Integration’. Additionally, as part of its continued efforts Western Balkans Youth Lab, is organising the Mid-Term Conference of the Youth Policy Lab on Disinformation and Media Literacy on 23 April in Tivat, further reinforcing its commitment to addressing key challenges affecting young people in the region.

More on:
Adria Summit Opening
Mid-term Conference on Disinformation and Media Literacy
Adria Future Summit 

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The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)’s Western Balkans Youth Lab 2 (WB Youth Lab 2) is an EU-funded Project that promotes a sustained and structured regional dialogue between young people and policy-makers. Its purpose is to co-create policies that strengthen youth participation in public decision-making and contribute to a more enabling socio-economic environment for young people across the Western Balkans.

More on the project - https://www.rcc.int/youthlab.