NVO GLAS započinje seriju od deset članaka u okviru regionalnog projekta „Youth Engagement for Europeanization of the Balkans“, kroz koje će biti predstavljene perspektive i iskustva mladih različitih iskustava i zanimanja u procesu evropskih integracija. Prvi sagovornik je Mojaš Kašćelan, osamnaestogodišnjak iz Tivta i najmlađi učesnik panela „Šta za nas znači evropeizacija?“, održanog 7. jula u Evropskoj kući u Podgorici, u okviru kick-off događaja projekta koji je organizovala NVO GLAS.
Mojaš pohađa gimnazijski program u Srednjoj mješovitoj školi „Mladost“, aktivno djeluje u lokalnom omladinskom centru, a poznat je i po nagrađenim kratkim pričama. Svoju budućnost vidi na Fakultetu političkih nauka, jer ga najviše inspiriše društveni angažman i vjera da mladi mogu biti pokretači promjena.
Na panelu, u kojem su učestvovali i Danica Sretkoska iz Sjeverne Makedonije i Rron Ukimeraj sa Kosova, Mojaš je govorio o tome kako mladi u Crnoj Gori doživljavaju evropske integracije i zašto je važno da se njihov glas čuje. Njegova iskustva i stavovi najbolje oslikavaju cilj projekta – povezivanje mladih iz Crne Gore, Kosova i Sjeverne Makedonije u zajedničkom naporu da šire evropske vrijednosti i promovišu saradnju i demokratizaciju u regionu.
U nastavku u cjelosti donosimo intervju sa Mojašom Kašćelanom, koji govori o svojim utiscima sa panela i dijeli stavove o ulozi mladih u procesu evropskih integracija. Razgovor je vodila Milica Dedić, izvršna direktorica NVO GLAS, koja je kroz pitanja osvijetlila perspektive i mišljenja mladih u ovom procesu.
NVO GLAS: Kao osamnaestogodišnjak iz Tivta i aktivan član lokalnog omladinskog centra, kako vidiš ulogu mladih u izgradnji pozitivnog narativa o evropskim integracijama i na koji način mladi iz manjih sredina mogu povezati lokalnu zajednicu sa evropskim vrijednostima?
Mojaš: Kao kod svake zajednice u istoriji čovječanstva, mladost uvijek predstavlja budućnost te zajednice. Zbog toga aktivan rad mladih u izgradnji pozitivnog narativa o evropskoj integraciji predstavlja glas koji se ne može ignorisati. Svaka mlada osoba postaje neka vrsta ambasadora Evropske unije kada se uključi u neki projekat, događaj ili radionicu. Ovo je posebno važno u manjim sredinama, gdje informacije o evropskoj integraciji nisu dovoljno zastupljene. Ako u tim zajednicama uspijemo stvoriti pozitivan utisak o Evropskoj uniji kroz razne događaje, ljudi koji ranije nisu obraćali pažnju sada će to možda učiniti.
NVO GLAS: Koje prepreke smatraš ključnim za uključivanje mladih u procese evropskih integracija i demokratizacije i kako EU programe poput Erasmus+ ili Evropskog korpusa solidarnosti učiniti dostupnijim mladima iz manjih opština i marginalizovanih grupa?
Mojaš: Glavna prepreka uključivanju mladih u procese evropske integracije je neinteresovanje koje proizlazi iz osjećaja udaljenosti od samog procesa. Na panelu u Podgorici dao sam primjer da ako bismo postavili plakat za Erasmus+ u centru Podgorice, ne bismo dobili 100 prijava. Zato mislim da je važno prikazati ovaj proces kao nešto lično i relevantno za mlade. Da bi se to postiglo, potrebno je više kontakta sa lokalnim upravama i organizacijama.
NVO GLAS: Koliko dezinformacije i anti-EU narativi utiču na mlade u Crnoj Gori i kako formalno, neformalno i informalno obrazovanje može doprinijeti boljem razumijevanju i podršci evropskim integracijama?
Mojaš: Uticaj anti-EU narativa na mlade nije značajan u smislu stvaranja žestokih oponenata integracije. Najveći problem je nedostatak interesa. Većina mladih se ne zalaže za integraciju van projekata čiji je cilj upravo promocija EU vrijednosti. Smatram da edukacija nije dovoljno inspirativna kada se radi o funkciji Evropske unije. Kao srednjoškolac, mogu reći da učenje o istoriji i strukturi EU u učionici bez interaktivnih elemenata nije naročito zanimljivo. Ako bismo časove pretvorili u ekskurzije i radionice povezane sa EU projektima, broj zainteresovanih mladih bi se znatno povećao.
NVO GLAS: Da li među mladima primjećuješ „zamor od proširenja“ EU i šta bi Unija mogla konkretno da uradi da povrati njihovo povjerenje?
Mojaš: Problem „zamora od proširenja“ prisutan je kod svih članova naše zajednice, a posebno među mladima. Rješenje ovog problema leži u intenzivnijoj saradnji između organizacija civilnog društva i institucija Evropske unije. Mladi moraju preuzeti aktivnu ulogu i biti prisutniji na lokalnim događajima i izborima kako bi promovisali svoja mišljenja i stavove. Ukoliko smatramo da procesi idu presporo, ključno je direktno kontaktirati gradonačelnike, lokalne predstavnike, članove parlamenta i predstavnike EU, kako bi naš glas postalo nemoguće ignorisati. Sa strane Evropske unije, neophodno je povećati novčana ulaganja u značajne lokalne događaje, gdje ljudi mogu vidjeti stvarne doprinose Unije, što dodatno jača povjerenje i osjećaj uključenosti zajednice.
NVO GLAS: Kako bi opisao svoje iskustvo učešća na panelu “What Does Europeanization Mean to Us?” i koje poruke ili ideje su ti ostale najznačajnije?Mojaš: Iskustvo je bilo fantastično – svi su bili izuzetno aktivni u diskusiji, razmijenili smo kontakte i bolje se upoznali. Bilo je izvanredno u svakom smislu, i motivisalo me da nastavim sa projektom, čak i ako bi to značilo da putujem na kraj svijeta da učestvujem. Najjača poruka za mene se pojavila nakon panela, kada smo odgovarali na pitanja publike. Jedno od pitanja bilo je da li sebe smatramo više nacionalno orijentisanim ili evropljanima u kontekstu integracije u Evropsku uniju. Svi smo se složili da ta odluka ne treba da bude binarna – možemo biti dio naše zajednice i kulture, a u isto vrijeme biti dio nečeg većeg. U tome je sama suština evropskog eksperimenta: naše razlike nas čine jačima, a ne slabijima.
NVO GLAS: S obzirom na tvoje planove da studiraš političke nauke, koliko te ovakvi događaji motivišu za dalji angažman u javnom životu i radu na temama mladih i regiona?
Mojaš: Prvi događaj me oduševio i podstakao da nastavim sa projektom i da ga, nadam se, uspješno završim u cijelosti. Bilo je nevjerovatno imati platformu na kojoj sam mogao iskreno iznijeti svoja mišljenja među ljudima koji dijele ista interesovanja. Siguran sam da ću se mnogo više angažovati u lokalnoj zajednici i pomoći onima koji još uvijek nisu pronašli priliku da se iskažu.
Učešće mladih poput Mojaša Kašćelana u regionalnim projektima i panelima ključni je korak ka aktivnijem uključivanju mladih u evropske integracije i demokratizaciju Balkana. Njihova perspektiva pokazuje da edukacija, participacija i povezivanje mladih zajednica mogu značajno doprinijeti jačanju evropskih vrijednosti u regionu.
Regionalni projekat „Youth Engagement for Europeanization of the Balkans“ se realizuje u partnerstvu sa organizacijom BIRC iz Sjeverne Makedonije (nosilac projekta), CFID sa Kosova i NVO GLAS iz Crne Gore, uz podršku Western Balkans Fund-a i kofinansiranje Evropske unije.
English version below / Engleska verzija u nastavku.
Interview with Mojaš Kašćelan: Youth Are the Voice of Europe’s Future
NVO GLAS is launching a series of ten articles within the regional project “Youth Engagement for Europeanization of the Balkans,” through which the perspectives and experiences of young people of different backgrounds and professions in the process of European integration will be presented. The first interviewee is Mojaš Kašćelan, an eighteen-year-old from Tivat and the youngest participant of the panel “What Does Europeanization Mean to Us?”, held on July 7 at the European House in Podgorica, within the project’s kick-off event organized by NVO GLAS.
Mojaš is attending the gymnasium program at the Secondary Mixed School “Mladost,” actively participates in the local youth center, and is also known for his award-winning short stories. He sees his future at the Faculty of Political Sciences, as he is most inspired by social engagement and the belief that young people can be drivers of change.
At the panel, which also featured Danica Sretkoska from North Macedonia and Rron Ukimeraj from Kosovo, Mojaš spoke about how young people in Montenegro perceive European integration and why it is important for their voices to be heard. His experiences and views best reflect the project’s goal – connecting young people from Montenegro, Kosovo, and North Macedonia in a joint effort to spread European values and promote cooperation and democratization in the region.
Below we bring you the full interview with Mojaš Kašćelan, in which he shares his impressions from the panel and his views on the role of young people in the process of European integration. The conversation was led by Milica Dedić, Executive Director of NVO GLAS, who through her questions highlighted the perspectives and opinions of young people in this process.
NVO GLAS: As an eighteen-year-old from Tivat and an active member of the local youth center, how do you see the role of young people in building a positive narrative about European integrations and in what way can young people from smaller communities connect the local community with European values?
Mojaš: As with every community in the history of humanity, youth always represents the future of that community. Because of that, the active work of young people in building a positive narrative about European integration represents a voice that cannot be ignored. Every young person becomes some kind of ambassador of the European Union when they get involved in a project, event, or workshop. This is especially important in smaller communities, where information about European integration is not sufficiently present. If in those communities we manage to create a positive impression about the European Union through various events, people who previously did not pay attention might now do so.
NVO GLAS: Which obstacles do you consider key for the inclusion of young people in the processes of European integrations and democratization, and how can EU programs such as Erasmus+ or the European Solidarity Corps be made more accessible to young people from smaller municipalities and marginalized groups?
Mojaš: The main obstacle for the inclusion of young people in the processes of European integration is lack of interest that comes from the feeling of distance from the very process. At the panel in Podgorica, I gave an example that if we were to put up a poster for Erasmus+ in the center of Podgorica, we would not get 100 applications. That is why I think it is important to present this process as something personal and relevant for young people. In order to achieve that, more contact with local governments and organizations is needed.
NVO GLAS: How much do disinformation and anti-EU narratives influence young people in Montenegro and how can formal, non-formal and informal education contribute to better understanding and support of European integrations?
Mojaš: The influence of anti-EU narratives on young people is not significant in the sense of creating fierce opponents of integration. The biggest problem is the lack of interest. The majority of young people do not advocate for integration outside of projects whose goal is precisely the promotion of EU values. I consider that education is not sufficiently inspiring when it comes to the function of the European Union. As a high school student, I can say that learning about the history and structure of the EU in the classroom without interactive elements is not particularly interesting. If we were to turn classes into excursions and workshops connected with EU projects, the number of interested young people would increase significantly.
NVO GLAS: Do you notice among young people the “enlargement fatigue” of the EU and what could the Union concretely do to regain their trust?
Mojaš: The problem of “enlargement fatigue” is present among all members of our community, and especially among young people. The solution of this problem lies in more intensive cooperation between civil society organizations and institutions of the European Union. Young people must take an active role and be more present at local events and elections in order to promote their opinions and attitudes. If we consider that the processes are going too slowly, it is crucial to directly contact mayors, local representatives, members of parliament and representatives of the EU, so that our voice becomes impossible to ignore. From the side of the European Union, it is necessary to increase financial investments in significant local events, where people can see the real contributions of the Union, which additionally strengthens trust and the feeling of inclusion of the community.
NVO GLAS: How would you describe your experience of participation in the panel “What Does Europeanization Mean to Us?” and which messages or ideas remained the most significant to you?
Mojaš: The experience was fantastic – everyone was extremely active in the discussion, we exchanged contacts and got to know each other better. It was extraordinary in every sense, and it motivated me to continue with the project, even if it would mean that I travel to the end of the world to participate. The strongest message for me appeared after the panel, when we were answering questions from the audience. One of the questions was whether we consider ourselves more nationally oriented or Europeans in the context of integration into the European Union. We all agreed that this decision should not be binary – we can be part of our community and culture, and at the same time be part of something bigger. In that lies the very essence of the European experiment: our differences make us stronger, not weaker.
NVO GLAS: Considering your plans to study political sciences, how much do such events motivate you for further engagement in public life and work on topics of youth and the region?
Mojaš: The first event delighted me and encouraged me to continue with the project and to, I hope, successfully complete it in its entirety. It was incredible to have a platform on which I could sincerely express my opinions among people who share the same interests. I am sure that I will engage much more in the local community and help those who still have not found the opportunity to express themselves.
The participation of young people such as Mojaš Kašćelan in regional projects and panels is a key step towards more active involvement of youth in European integrations and democratization of the Balkans. Their perspective shows that education, participation and the connecting of young communities can significantly contribute to strengthening European values in the region.
The regional project “Youth Engagement for Europeanization of the Balkans” is implemented in partnership with the organization BIRC from North Macedonia (project leader), CFID from Kosovo and NVO GLAS from Montenegro, with the support of the Western Balkans Fund and co-financing of the European Union.