“Guardians of Wisdom”: Irina Janevska on the role of the third sector

Skopje, June 11, 2024 – Over 200 young people attended the second “Guardians of Wisdom” conference, organized by Halkbank AD Skopje. The event offered a unique opportunity for the exchange of knowledge and experiences between experienced professionals and young students and entrepreneurs.

At the conference, 14 speakers from various fields shared their experiences, including prominent names such as entrepreneur Nina Angelovska, Professor Radmil Polenaković, the CEO of “Alkaloid” Živko Mukaetov, Petar Ninovski from “Brainster,” Iskra Gešoska and Jasmina Popovska, Professor Miško Ralev, architect Pako Radovanović, professor Vlado Kambovski, professor Boban Misoski, as well as psychotherapists Slavica Gajdazis Knežević and Katerina Dimova.

Particular attention was drawn to the fourth panel discussion, titled “A Brave Civil Sector for Social Changes.” Neda Maleska Sačmaroska from CUP and Irina Janevska from ARNO highlighted the challenges and achievements of the civil sector through inspiring examples and practical advices. They pointed out that the role of the civil sector is crucial for social changes and that  greater engagement with young people and the community is needed.

Irina shared with the young audience some of her favorite examples, such as the yellow line in banks, the social enterprise “Dialogue in the Dark” in Vienna, and “KomšiLook” – a festival organized by an informal group of young people in Železara. She emphasized that the third sector, although often labeled, has significant achievements and contributions, and that it is entirely legitimate and desirable for a young person to have a career in the third sector.

“The event was very beautiful and successful! I measure success by how many people approach me after my speech. Today, I had about ten conversations about what we do. A young neighbor from Hrom even admitted that for the first time he is thinking about activism and how old factories can become cultural and green oases, and that I inspired him today – how wonderful. The event had a nice format, not boring panels with final speeches. It is an honor for me to have talked with Neda, a true veteran in my sector and an inspiration for the future. We have a lot of work to do and many changes to make in our society“ said Irina Janevska from ARNO.

The goal of the “Guardians of Wisdom” conference is to connect students and young entrepreneurs with top mentors and professionals from various fields. This platform allows them to hear success stories directly and gain valuable lessons from the experiences of people who, through their hard work and dedication, have overcome all obstacles and achieved great accomplishments in their careers.