“The Potential of Social Economy in the Western Balkans” – Final Conference in Podgorica
The final conference of the Western Balkans Youth Social Economy Alliance (WB SEA) project “The Potential of Social Economy in the Western Balkans Region” took place 12-14 December in Podgorica, Montenegro. Marjan from ARNO was among the main panelists and moderators, presenting the state of play of youth and social entrepreneurship in N.Macedonia. On the invitation of ARNO, part of the speakers were Aleksandra Iloska from Association Public, Julija Gerovska from Municipality of Center, Skopje, and Ana Marija Pavlova, co-founder оf the social enterprise “CAMP” from Shtip, which presented their successful social enterprises and social economy initiatives.
The conference welcomed more than 70 participants from the Western Balkans and EU, who discussed how to use and maximize the potential of the social economy and the crucial role young people can play. The conference also celebrated and shared good practices from the WB and the EU. Panelists from governmental bodies, municipalities, social economy networks, NGOs, social economy practitioners, and youth social enterprises presented their experiences and stories, to spark inspiration and new innovative ways of cooperation between WB and EU in light of its new policies on the social economy for the WB region.
“The conference was a great opportunity to establish more visionary and long-term cooperation between the social economy actors from WB and EU. The social economy is one of the pillars of the socioeconomic development of the EU and is already a strong partner in the economy, a pathway that the WB should follow, especially having in mind the more favorable EU social economy policies for the WB countries. I am glad to see the potential and enthusiasm of this international network, and I hope that it will become a strong regional actor in the social economy sector.” – stated Marjan from ARNO.