Skopje, 14 November 2023 (MIA) - We decided to include the youth component high in the agenda of North Macedonia's OSCE Chairpersonship, and thus, we are the first OSCE chair who has appointed a Special Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office on Youth just as we did on Civil Society, because the motto of our Chairpersonship is "It's About People”, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani told Tuesday's Youth Forum for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 

"We wanted to emphasize what the OSCE does for people, and not only for people as users of OSCE services, but for people as part of the OSCE, and young people are a very important component of the OSCE mentioned throughout the Helsinki Final Act as a founding document of the OSCE, and even at that time it was pointed out that in order to promote peace, to promote security, a platform for communication between young people, for dialogue between young people must be created. We have excellent experience in the region through RYCO as a regional youth cooperation platform, and of course we wanted to somehow transfer it to the OSCE. That is why I proposed having such a Youth Hub, and that is why we hold this forum not just as a one-off event, but a whole process in which the youth perspective will enter all three dimensions," Osmani pointed out. 

Addressing the Youth Forum, Osmani underlined that youth inclusion is key to OSCE's role in promoting peace and security, ever since the 1975 Helsinki Act whereby nations committed to youth inclusion "encouraging exchanges of experience in the education of youth and adults in international understanding, with particular reference to those major problems of mankind whose solution calls for a common approach and wider international co-operation". 

He added that this commitment is still a guarantee that the OSCE is a platform for strengthening and amplifying the voices of the generations to come.

"Youth empowerment is one of our central priorities. North Macedonia and our region only benefit from regional youth cooperation and initiatives that promote the culture of dialogue, tolerance and reconciliation. With today's world struggling with so many challenges, I wholeheartedly believe that young people are the best investment for the future," said Osmani. 

He thanked the Special Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office on Youth, Memet Zhaku, for his energy and commitment in fulfilling his role, adding that the result of such work is also today's Youth Forum.  

Speaking about the importance of interactive involvement of young people at the institutional level, he underlined that the results, ideas and recommendations of young people will be part of the agenda of the upcoming Ministerial Council, the highest decision-making body, which will be held at the end of this month in Skopje.  

Osmani noted that dialogue is key and is at the heart of the Organization, especially dialogue between young people, between generations, across borders and continents. 

"We must listen to each other, respect different opinions, cooperate on common goals, include everyone. Because young people are not only beneficiaries of our actions, but also partners in our mission as the OSCE, our values ​​and principles and our role as a unique platform for dialogue," Osmani said. 

Photo: MFA