Skopje, 11 August 2022 (MIA) - Ensuring a safe progress of the youth requires serious systemic efforts that will result in accelerated economic growth, elimination of corruption and modernization of education. Young people deserve to be supported by institutions and they should cooperate with each other, said participants in Thursday's international conference on Balkan youth. Organized by the Youth and Sports Agency to mark International Youth Day, the conference focused on the challenges facing young people in the region and ways to improve cooperation. According to President Stevo Pendarovski, whose address was read out at the conference, the good news is that young people are already being engaged in decision-making process and policy creation at central and local level. The law on youth participation and youth policies, the new youth strategy, the draft on the law on youth work were mentioned in his address alongside the MKD 2030 Development Framework, considered a joint platform for North Macedonia's development. Minister of Labor and Social Policy Jovanka Trenchevska, Minister of Youth and Sports of Serbia Vanja Udovicic, Minister of Youth and Sports of Montenegro Vasilije Lalosevic, and officials of youth organizations from Serbia and Albania attended the event. By investing in young people, investments in the future are also made, said Youth and Sports Agency Director Naumche Mojsovski. "We have no other alternative but to create bridges to connect the youth and pave the way for them and be the change we all want it to be," he said noting that the Open Balkan initiative offers fresh perspectives and chances that provide safe progress of the region. Young people in the region, Mojsovski said, face the same challenges. "By cooperating the relevant ministries together, international youth cooperation can be improved, thus the conditions for young people to prosper. I propose that as part of the Open Balkan initiative we should organize a joint thematic government session on young people so as to demonstrate our strong commitment to young people," said the director. Serbian Minister Udovicic said the Western Balkans has an important mission when it comes to youth cooperation, while Montenegrin Minister Lalosevic called for more opportunities to be provided to young people. Citing latest research findings, he said that 45 percent of young people in Montenegro want to leave his country. Reiterating that the countries in the region are facing plenty of challenges, Deputy Education Minister Lulzim Aliu said he was confident the youth conference will meet the desired goals - young people supporting each other, cooperating and being competitive in terms of educational advancement. Today's conference took place as part of Youth Week. On Friday, awards for youth participation will be handed out at the president's residence in Vodno and a party will be organized at the City Park.