Conference: The Role of Youth in Building the European Future of BiH and the Region

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Igor Crnadak opened today, 24 October 2015, in Banja Luka a two-day conference „The Role of Youth in Building the European Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Region“, held within the framework of BiH's chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

At the opening of the conference, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to Minister Crnadak, the Head of the Council of Europe Office in BiH Mary Ann Hennessey and the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska Nedeljko Čubrilović also addressed the participants.

During his address in the today-filled ceremonial hall of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, Minister Crnadak expressed satisfaction with the holding of the conference in Banja Luka at the end of BiH's six-month chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the CoE. He invited young people, together with representatives of authorities at the level of BiH, the Republic of Srpska and the Federation of BiH, to take an active part in the work of the conference, and wished everyone success.

Speaking about BiH's chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Minister Crnadak pointed out that the course of the chairmanship so far seems very good, and that our country has proven through the chairmanship that even a small country like ours can be successful at the helm of the Council of Europe.

Minister Crnadak expressed satisfaction because the BiH chairmanship, despite the topics imposed by events in Europe and beyond, such as the issues of terrorism and refugees, managed to keep the focus on the issue of youth, and assessed that there is a great responsibility on officials in BiH at all levels to understand the needs of young people.

On the first day of the conference, two panel discussions will be held in the ceremonial hall of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska: "Future Leaders" and „Youth Perspective - Europe in the Future or the Future in Europe”. Panelists will be representatives of the executive and legislative authorities at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Srpska and the Federation of BiH, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH, international organizations in BiH, the non-governmental sector and, inevitably, representatives of youth.

On the second day of the conference, a panel discussion will be held at the Hotel Bosna in Banja Luka on the topic: „The Region in Europe“ with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Chairman of the CM CoE Igor Crnadak; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro Igor Lukšić, First Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH Mladen Bosić, delegate in the House of Peoples of the PA BiH and former Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BiH Martin Raguž, member of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH Saša Magazinović, and a youth representative.

The conference will be closed with the adoption of conclusions and addresses by the Head of the Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Ambassador Almir Šahović, and the Head of the CoE Office in BiH, Mary Ann Hennessy.