Giving young people a voice – journalism workshops and regional competition in the Western Balkans
Related project
Balkan Voices 2A series of workshops on media and information have been held in five countries of the Western Balkans – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia, with Montenegro to follow. These workshops, led by journalist Jean-Marc Pitte and a local trainer for each country, culminated in a regional competition organised in conjunction with Europe Day. The aim was to train secondary school pupils in journalistic skills, involving 157 young high school students in the project.
Building skills and confidence
The workshops addressed key topics such as media literacy, young people’s information habits, creating powerful messages and verifying reliable sources. They also examined the way in which the European Union is represented in the Balkan media. These sessions gave the young people the means to better understand the role of the media in society and to reflect on the issues that affect them directly. After these training sessions, the students wrote articles and essays which they then presented at the regional competition.
During the workshops, participants learnt to use various sources of information, to structure their writing clearly and to debate with their peers in a respectful manner. Each group presented their work creatively, using a variety of multimedia tools, while receiving constructive feedback on the quality and originality of the content they had produced.
Student testimonials
Albanian student Sonja Myftaraj was inspired by the training and chose to write an article on the topic of “Towards a stronger Union: challenges and opportunities of European integration”. “I chose this subject because European integration is a crucial issue for the future of Albania and the Balkan region. For me, the European Union represents the values of democracy, peace and economic prosperity that are important to our society.”
Diana Vneshta, also from Albania, found the workshop very rewarding: “This workshop was very useful for me, especially because journalism is a field I’m passionate about. I found the experience both instructive and enjoyable.”
A promising future
These workshops, which are part of the “Balkan Voices 2” project, not only develop journalistic skills in students, they also prepare them to think critically about the issues of European integration and the challenges it poses. By giving a voice to young people in the region, this initiative aims to encourage cooperation, combat misinformation and address the common challenges facing the Western Balkans.
Examples of content produced
Kosovo’s integration into the EU
Sara Simnica, Kosovo
Download article (in French)
The impact of European integration on socio-economic transformation:
the perspectives of young people in the Balkans on European integration
Despina Birtanovska, Macédoine du Nord
Download article (in French)
