There is no municipality tailored to young people if there is no Local Youth Council, said the Association “Novus,” which organized a simulation of this body for young people from Strumica on 26 January 2023. On the premises of the House of ARM, a total of 31 participants had the opportunity to see how a session of a Local Youth Council should look like and why it is essential to be established and operational.
The event was intended to all citizens but focused on young people. For the organizers, it is essential to raise the critical thinking of young people and motivate them to be active creators of their future. One of the ways is for them to claim their rights under the Law, and the Law, according to Novus, clearly states that each Municipality shall have a functioning Local Youth Council.
“Our goal is to see where the youth is headed and what problems and obstacles they face so that we can find solutions to those obstacles. Young people need to be heard because the development of our municipality depends on them. With the help of this simulation, we gain new experiences, and most importantly, we learn how to make decisions. We want to show that there are young people who think and are not afraid to express their opinions”, said Ivan Vangelov, a participant in the simulation.
For Filip Todorov, also a participant in the simulation, it went well and could result in the establishment of an actual Local Youth Council. “The interest is quite high, and that’s why I’m motivated to continue to be committed and contribute to the changes that this country needs, which only young people can encourage,” he said.
“Novus” plans to continue with a campaign that will take place under the motto “Inspire youth participation for a Municipality that is matching young people’s needs,” and whose goal will be to raise public awareness that young people are also part of social policies and have the right to participate in their creation. In addition, a roundtable with the Mayor is planned.
The implementation of these activities is made possible by the project “Support to Electoral Reforms in North Macedonia” of the Government of Switzerland, implemented by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), and the grants are administered by the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC).
