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SARAJEVO, December 2 (FENA) - Numerous delegations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, government and non-governmental representatives, as well as youth, gathered in Sarajevo today for a regional meeting organized under the "Dialogue for the Future" program.
It is pointed out that Regional Dialogue Platform is an opportunity to identify problems that negatively affect social cohesion, to make recommendations, but also to define priorities in solving them.
"Dialogue Week" is organized under the United Nations joint regional program "Dialogue for the Future" implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), UNICEF and UNESCO, supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund.
United Nations Resident Coordinator in BiH Sezin Sinanoglu recalled that the program was initiated by the region's leaders, who sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General requesting that they invest in programs of social cohesion, confidence building and mutual respect, as well as solidarity.
Dialogue and communication will be promoted at today's gathering, while another component of the program, Sinanoglu added, is about improving qualities of youth in communication and critical skills, while the third component is to help create networks between citizens of the region.
As a result of the event, a small grants instrument will be launched and they will fund ideas that promote the values.
A number of delegations came from Montenegro, which is why United Nations Resident Coordinator Fiona McCluney said that this shows the authorities' commitment to social cohesion and regional development.
Ambassador at Large for BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs Miloš Prica said that the dialogue is important among different communities within the country, as well as in the countries of the region, and that it is significant because of the overall progress of the states.
One of the participants in the event was Mevlida Mehanović from the Association of women returnees "Podrinjka" from Srebrenica, who pointed out numerous challenges and problems of residents in rural communities. She stated that the most alarming fact is number of children, especially girls, who are graduating from high school.
The objectives of the joint regional program "Dialogue for the Future" are to empower adolescents and young people for constructive action and leadership, to support intercultural dialogue, objective media coverage, and to empower girls and women socially and politically.
During the "Dialogue Week", a series of events will be organized in Sarajevo and Banja Luka, from November 27 to December 3, in which participants address issues of education, employment, social trust, trust in institutions, and strengthening social cohesion.
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