Twenty refugees and asylum-seekers from all over the world volunteered to distribute water to the runners in 36th Belgrade Marathon on 23 April. All of them were all special in their own way. But one of them was more special than others. Meet Diar – he believes he may be eighteen years old, but he is not sure since his date of birth is unknown. During the Marathon, he used crutches to keep him standing in the heat while handing out water bottles. Diar [“eyesight” in Kurdish] arrived in Serbia from Iraq in early November. Not long after the arrival, he suffered major injuries when he was hit by a train, one night while talking to his mother on the phone. He shrugs his shoulders when he recants the story of his ordeal and simply says “I did not see the train coming”. Then he adds: “But I am ok now. I spent almost four months in the hospital, lost a leg, lost my spleen, broke some ribs, then suffered from appendicitis.” Finally, after many months, Diar found some peace, home, care and support in a Shelter for Children and Youth without Parental Care run by Jesuit Refugee Service on the outskirts of Belgrade. In the meantime, Diar has decided to remain in Serbia and has officially applied for asylum. His biggest challenge, apart from his disability, is his current loneliness and isolation that stems from the fact that he speaks only Kurdish. For communication and getting to know about his new environment Diar relies on a sole compatriot in Belgrade who has meanwhile received international protection and a local nickname – “Boki”. Boki visits Diar once a week and spends a couple of hours with him chatting away in Kurdish. It becomes apparent through the conversation that Diar has never attended formal schooling and is semi-literate even in his mother tongue. When asked if he would not mind a local nickname too – maybe “Vid” which is the Serbian translation of his Kurdish name, Diar seems to like the idea.   Everything we know about Diar is thanks to his interpreter Boki whose real name is Karoh Pishtewan. Karoh was 16 years old when he arrived in Serbia in 2017, also from Iraq. His application for asylum in Serbia was accepted one day short of his 18th birthday. He currently works in a cafe in Belgrade, which he credits as key in his learning the local language and successful integration in the society. He quickly advanced in his career and now speaks fluent Serbian. Diar looks forward to weekly visits by Karoh, for he can finally communicate in his mother tongue without major difficulties. Karoh often takes Diar out to play billiards and has introduced him to his friends and colleagues. Half-jokingly, Karoh says to Diar that his language skills would advance significantly if he were to meet a Serbian girl, which makes Diar blush instantly. Karoh’s intent to help his compatriot is very pronounced for he experienced similar difficulties only a few years back. Diar looks up to his friend and wishes to follow in his footsteps, in order to fulfil his goals and dreams as part of the Serbian society. Serbian might just become the first language that Diar acquires the ability to read in, for he was proud to inform that he had just started learning it with the help of a teacher from the shelter, and “she tells him that he is doing well”. His sole friend and role model Karoh/Boki insists that Diar must not give up learning Serbian, for this will “open new doors for him”, he can start school. He might even join Karoh in working in a cool social café in downtown Belgrade once he is able to communicate with the locals a bit more and use the public transport. Diar is eager to get out of the shelter more and to socialise, to work, to help, as he did in the Belgrade Marathon. His biggest hope is that the prosthetic leg which he will receive through the State health insurance scheme is coming sooner rather than later, since he will then be able to navigate the slopes and the hills of Belgrade’s old town, and hopefully play soccer again when he makes new friends. In a nutshell, Diar wants to belong.. Written by Vera Dragović-O’Donnell, Lidija Lazarević      

Within the “European Union Support for Social Housing and Active Inclusion” funded by the EU and implemented by UNOPS in Serbia, 12 families have moved into a newly built building for social housing in the Čačak. Within the grant "Leaving no one behind" awarded to the City of Čačak, fully furnished and equipped apartments were provided to families from the most vulnerable social groups. The keys to the new apartments were handed over by the envoy of the President of Serbia Suzana Paunović, the mayor of Čačak Milun Todorović, the Ambassador of the European Union in Serbia Emanuele Giaufret, the Minister for European Integration Tanja Miščević, the Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Nikola Selaković, the Minister of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue Tomislav Žigmanov and the Assistant Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Dušan Radonjić. Mayor Todorović opened the event by saying that it is a great success that after two years of hard and persistent work and great support from the EU, we are here to hand over the keys to 12 families through the "Leaving No One Behind" project. "The value of the project is EUR 1,410,000, of which EUR 1,209,000 was donated by the EU, and the City of Čačak participated with EUR 201,000. We worked together with the EU to provide furniture for apartments and houses and for beneficiaries to finally be safe and secure for a minimal monthly rent. I wish them to enjoy their homes and to know that their city and their country are here to support them. I want us to continue this kind of cooperation with the EU and to be aware at this moment how important it is that Serbia should stay on the European path,'' concluded Todorović. "Diversity is a fact, while social inclusion is a matter of choice. Today we see the result of our joint choice that we leave no one behind", said Ambassador Giaufret, and emphasized that the move of 12 families into their new apartments is a clear and tangible result of the joint effort of the EU, the City of Čačak and the Government of Serbia to support equality, solidarity, tolerance, and inclusion. "I believe that housing is only the first step in ensuring a better life. That is why this project envisages that particularly vulnerable groups acquire knowledge and skills that will enable them to have a quality life and inclusion in society." Minister for European Integration Tanja Mišćević pointed out that moving into apartments marks the beginning of a new, happier life for families. "Our engagement to build a better society does not end there, and European integration enables us to grow the infrastructure that is necessary for a better life and a better standard." Minister Selaković pointed out that it is a "great project" that includes not only a roof over one’s head but also inclusion in society. "That is why it is important to continue with inclusion, to strengthen the standard, for people to find a job, to be trained, to acquire the knowledge necessary for the labour market and to find a job".  "At most of the gatherings I have attended, best practice examples, prevention measures to address all forms of discrimination, various affirmative measures, the application of international human rights standards, as well as all applications related to the prevention of recognition and removal of all possible stereotypes, have been shown. But I can point out that this kind of gathering is one of my favourites. Because when you approach someone in this way, you really give them a chance for a new life", said Minister Žigmanov. Assistant Minister Dušan Radonjić thanked the European Union for its help and pointed out that he is proud that his Ministry is a partner in this project because there are 12 apartments in Čačak, in which women victims of domestic violence, young people without parents, people with disabilities and members of the Roma national minority will move - a proof that in EU-Serbia relations, solidarity does not remain just a political or philosophical concept, but materialises in reality.  The UNOPS Serbia Multi-Country Office Director, Michela Telatin, pointed out that sustainable housing solutions are the result of sincere cooperation and engagement of all actors. ''I’m very happy to witness today moving in of these 12 families into a newly constructed social housing building. A home is a place where we feel safe, protected from the potential outside perils, where we rest but also work hard to plan and achieve a more prosperous future. That is why today we are happy to be a part of a huge step in making better lives of our beneficiaries and to continuously support the Serbian national and local institutions and the European Union in delivering a more promising and hopeful future for those in need”, UNOPS RSMCO Director said.  One of the project beneficiaries, Žarko Džambasević thanked everyone on behalf of 12 families.   “Today, I am here with my wife and our son, so moving into our new home is one step which will ensure our better life, maybe even to have another child soon. We hope that with this support, all of us will have a better future,” Džambasević said.  The project "Leaving no one behind" is implemented as part of the "European Union Support for Social Housing and Active Inclusion" Programme, for which the EU allocated 27 million euros, and which, in addition to Čačak, is implemented in 21 other cities and municipalities.

The ECOSOC Youth Forum  was a significant opportunity for young people to come together and discuss strategies for elevating their voices and exercising their leadership in advancing the Youth2030 Agenda. Dunja Trifunovic, a member of UN Serbia Youth Advisory Group, was a moderator at one of the forums. She recently gave an exclusive interview to Voice of America which we are now pleased to share with you in full.
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK — Young activists from around the world participated in a three-day conference of the UN Economic and Social Council Youth Forum (ESOSOC) in New York at the end of April, and one of the sessions was chaired by Dunja Trifunović, a member of the Youth Advisory Group organized by United Nations in Serbia.  "The main topics of the conference were sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals," the 19-year-old activist told for VOA. "These are current and active topics that have inspired a large number of young people to follow this event both at the UN headquarters and online. The very fact that such a large number of young people have shown interest testifies that these important topics are not a detail at a conference, but important issues which young people see their role in. The session I chaired together with my colleague from Barbados concerned the 2030 Youth Agenda and the instruments we have to make it happen." Voice of America: What are the most important recommendations and ideas that participants proposed in preparation for the SDG Summit in New York in September? Dunja Trifunović: The key recommendation concerned the role and affirmation of young people, their meaningful involvement in the realization of the mentioned goals, and the promotion of their active participation in public life. The keywords in these recommendations were resources - financial and scientific, as important incentives that would enable young people to properly shape and then materialize their visions and ideas. Young activists pointed out that existing mechanisms should be modified in a sense that they are more accessible to young people. Engaging in formal design and decision-making processes involves, you will agree, perfectly prepared people for that level of task. Voice of America: The United Nations recently released a report on climate change that is very bleak, and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns that the world is "on thin ice". What is the atmosphere like at climate conferences, when we know that climate goals are not being achieved fast enough? Dunja Trifunović: The atmosphere is less bleak than the reports themselves, which not only testify that the world is slipping on thin ice, but also that cracks in the ice threaten to cause rapid, colossal damage with unforeseeable consequences. These are unrelenting facts. On the other hand, it is also a fact that today there are countless young people in the world, who have shown incredible courage, skills and readiness to fight with their willpower and desire to preserve this world. When young people from Barbados, the United States, Serbia, Italy and Nicaragua find themselves at a conference, and all of them approach this problem with the same passion, it gives the impression that this force will eventually prevail and succeed in stopping the clock of the universal collapse into which our planet is slipping. VOA: What did you hear in the moderated session that was most surprising to you? Dunja Trifunović: Vivid, interesting and dynamic - this is how I would describe our session dedicated to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Each of the speakers gave suggestions related to their professional engagement, made cross-sections and suggested a faster and simpler path to the set goal. The most diverse voices were heard and each of the speakers approached the topic of the 2030 Agenda from a different point of view. For me, the greatest fascination was their attitude towards us young people - cooperative, respectful and stimulating for our further work. Our answer was not lacking either - representatives of the institutions had to notice that we young people, thanks to our goal and vision, managed what the elderly did not manage to do - to break down all national and cultural barriers and show that in the fight for the Planet there is no he or she, but only us all together. VOA: You have already participated in several major world conferences under the auspices of the UN or the EU, including the UN climate change conference COP 27 in Egypt 2022, and the Youth4Climate event in Milan 2021. Is the voice of young people heard and appreciated enough, has anything changed in the past few years? Dunja Trifunović: Yes, a lot has changed. If by 2019 we were taking steps that could not be seen with the naked eye, after that each of our swings was a step of seven miles. Today, young people at UN climate conferences have the role of negotiators ahead of their country and are actively involved in policymaking at the global and increasingly local level. All of this was unthinkable just a few years ago. Of course, we are not even halfway there, but every confirmation that comes, and there are not few, is the wind blowing into our sails. Young people are involved in various processes, as evidenced by the establishment of the UN Youth Office, as well as the Youth Agenda 2030, which recognizes us as UN partners and key actors in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Voice of America: Participants of the forum were from all over the world and presented various problems. Where do you see Serbia within the larger picture, in terms of both problems and capacities to solve them? Dunja Trifunovic: Unfortunately, Serbia is a black spot on the map of climate change. On the one hand, we are a developing country, which, like other countries in the same category, does not have enough capacity to adequately respond to the challenge. There may not be much interest, but that's another topic. What it recommends for a serious confrontation with this global problem is the fact that Serbia is warming faster than the European average. On the other hand, as a small country, it contributes only about 0.1% of the world's emissions. Voice of America: Are young people in Serbia sufficiently familiar with them and committed to the goals discussed at the ECOSEC forum these days? We know that environmental issues in Serbia in recent years have been the driving force behind the biggest social protests, and that people care about environmental protection, but the participants of these protests were people of different ages. Has youth activism increased beyond the political sphere? Dunja Trifunović: People's deep disapproval is caused by precisely ecological, and not, as one might expect, political and geopolitical topics. This was a very good indicator that deep inside has changed – defiance, fear and until recently only implied support for nature. It became clear that nothing is guaranteed.  You want to conserve nature, air and water - show it, say it out loud what you think, take action, invite young people to do something about it. Activism is spontaneously awakened in the depths of society, slowly defining itself and eventually gaining a well-deserved place in public discourse. Voice of America: The Law on Climate Change was adopted in Serbia in 2021, how much is it implemented? Dunja Trifunović: The adoption of the Law on Climate Change is only the initial step in establishing a legal framework for taking commitments from the EU Emissions Trading System, which is one of the EU's key instruments for achieving climate neutrality by 2050. It should be added here that we had an empty space of three years because the public debate in 2018 did not result in the adoption of laws. So, the legal framework has been made, and to what extent it will be declarative in nature, and will it make real impact, I leave to the monitoring to assess. Certainly, trotting for EU will hit most economies that will not have enough time to prepare for the challenges posed by the European Climate Law. As indicative, I cite the fact that the Law did not regulate the establishment of mechanisms for fulfilling the obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. Serbia has not even managed to secure basic obligations under the Convention and the Paris Agreement, such as regular reporting and submission of updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).   Original source: Voice of America, available at the following link. Author: Helena Đorđević

Belgrade, 24 April 2023 - The Embassy of Italy in Belgrade, the UN system, and the Government of Serbia have joined forces to kick-off the joint United Nations project “Peer Mentoring Program for promotion of human rights, gender equality and increased youth participation in Serbia”. This project is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic - Directorate General for Europe and International Trade Policy and implemented jointly by UNFPA and UN Women. The purpose of the event was to mark the beginning of this important project initiative, bring together key partners to advocate jointly for greater youth engagement in Serbia and give voice to young people. The Peer Mentoring Program will be implemented through a young leadership training and peer mentoring process. Experienced young people, members of the UN Youth Advisory Group, will support their peers at the local level to create and implement initiatives to increase youth participation, promote human rights, and create space for social engagement of youth at the local level. In his opening remarks, H.E. Mr. Luca Gori, Italian Embassy in Belgrade said, “we strongly believe youth has a key role in the development of a society in all the different fields: economy, politics, culture. However, the social engagement of the young generations is not granted. The project, financed by the Italian MFA, encourages young generations to unleash their potential to become social innovators, leaders, thinkers and a powerful force for change in their communities and country.” ”Ms. Françoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator added, “We are proud to launch the project that will empower young people to take action and create a more equal and sustainable society in Serbia. Together with our partners (Italian Embassy, UN Women, UNFPA), we are committed to supporting the Government of Serbia in realising the vision of the Global Strategy for Youth 2030 and the National Youth Strategy 2030. Through this project, we will provide the tools and resources necessary to increase youth participation in decision making processes and create a more inclusive and equitable society.” Mrs Ivana Antonijevic, Assistant Minister for Youth thinks that“The role of young people is paramount in recognizing human rights issues. We incorporated the inclusive youth policy when drafting all strategic documents. The Law on Youth is founded on the principles of equality, the prohibition of discrimination, equal opportunities, increased awareness of the importance of young people and their social role, and the principles of support for young people. Knowing that young people are the present and future of society and the driving force of its development, we continually and systematically invest in the development of young people, as the most valuable resource of a country. The Ministry of Tourism and Youth will always be there to support the youth’s initiatives.” The kick-off event will be followed by a series of local level events in 6 selected municipalities. All of the visibility activities, including the this event, will highlight the jointness of the work of the UN system in Serbia and commitment to the UN Reform, as well as a strong support to the youth participation and engagement in the context of the EU accession. Human rights will be the overarching theme for all planned activities. The program is scheduled to run from January 1st to December 31st 2023, with a total budget of 130,000 EUR, with the Italian Embassy contributing 101,880 EUR.