Building on the legacy: European Youth Capital Novi Sad continues work to put young people at the centre
The Serbian city of Novi Sad became European Youth Capital in 2019. Since then, the title continues to inspire change in the way Novi Sad works together with its young people.
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Post-2019, Novi Sad endeavours to be a youth-friendly city, where young people are considered active citizens. It also aims to inspire other cities to follow in their journey.
Among the many achievements of Novi Sad European Youth Capital 2019, is the ‘Youth Center OPENS’, a brand new multifunctional space for youth, symbolically opened on International Youth Day on 12 August last year.
The Center’s objective is to be the point of reference for youth participation in the city and in the region, working as a hub for cooperation between young people, youth organisations, and the City of Novi Sad.
In these new premises, the ‘OPENS Alliance’ has created a resource centre that works to empower young people and facilitate youth work at the local level, as well as providing space to youth organisations.
During her visit to the OPENS Youth Center, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, said, “Novi Sad, as a European Youth Capital, is of exceptional importance for the entire country because it is an example of good practice for other cities and municipalities that will find it easier to apply that knowledge and experience.”
The importance of this space for young people, as well as the title itself, was underlined by the OPENS coordinator, Vukašin Grozdanović:
"The Youth Alliance of the Association ‘Novi Sad Youth Capital of Europe - OPENS’ works closely with all relevant youth policy actors in order to improve donor policy in Serbia, empower youth and youth associations to apply for funding from various donors and ensure the sustainability of youth programs by proposing a model organising a network of youth centers in the Republic of Serbia. Young people have the power to create the society in which they live, because young people are at the center."
In 2021, OPENS implemented the project "Novi Sad City of Youth - Serbia, the Land of Youth", within the framework of the programme "Youth in the Center ", a key milestone in the follow up of the European Youth Capital 2019.
Photo credit: V. Velickovic
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