Building a “Shared Horizon” for youth in the Balkans and countering misinformation

The EU accession process for Western Balkan countries, which aims to lead to them towards a common future, is hampered by nationalism. 

In this context, France is assisting Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia with the reconciliation of their youth. The “Shared Horizons” project, initiated and financed by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, aims to contribute to the work on memories and shared perspectives within the EU among youth in Southeast Europe. 

This project is based on four cross-cutting components. It is jointly implemented with the Institut Français and CFI, as well as PLAY International, the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) and the Museum of the 90s in Belgrade. 

It also focuses on issues related to informing the general public, with the aim of countering nationalist rhetoric and upholding positive European storytelling. To this end, it relies on relays (young journalists and influencers) and communication channels (social media, podcasts) that can reach young people in the Balkans.

The Balkan News Truck kicked off its tour on 8 September with a clear ambition: tackle the dangers of misinformation by enhancing the critical thinking of people in the Western Balkans. This touring truck is a real mobile platform for media education. It is travelling through six countries — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia — to transform public spaces, universities and central squares into venues for discussion and learning.

Each stopover offers a diverse programme: screenings, fact-checking workshops, interactive quizzes and open discussions with specialists and local actors. The aim of these activities is to give participants the tools to recognise fake news, analyse the reliability of sources and understand online schemes to spread misleading narratives. After its first stops in Kosovo (Prizren, Mitrovica, Peja, Pristina), the truck will continue on its journey to Sarajevo, Podgorica, Tirana, Skopje, Novi Sad and many other cities. The programme will be geared towards local realities each time.

The originality of this project lies in its ability to go out and directly meet a diverse public, including in remote areas rarely covered by this type of initiative. By stimulating citizen debate and through educational games and participatory workshops, it is driving real regional dynamics for more resilient societies, able to resist information manipulation and strengthen their democratic foundations.

The “Facing war – European Dialogues” have stopped off in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of the Shared Horizons programme. Thirty years after the Dayton-Paris Accords, this edition provided a platform for discussion between civil society, researchers and youth in the Balkans and the rest of Europe on the issues of trust, memory and democratic resilience.

For three days, the debates focused on exploring the various dimensions of trust, an essential pillar of peace processes and living together after the war. The programme mobilised 32 new voices supported by the Institut Français in the context of “Shared Horizons”. From diverse backgrounds — environmentalism, women’s rights, fight against corruption or misinformation — these emerging figures bring diverse and committed insights on the current challenges facing Balkan societies.

The Dialogues were held in Sarajevo from 17 to 19 September, in partnership with Sarajevo Fest and the Historical Museum of Bosnia-Herzegovina, then in Banja Luka on September 20, with the Museum of Contemporary Art of Republika Srpska. A “pre-dialogue” event had already been held in Tuzla in June, in partnership with the Contemporary Women’s Festival, marking a preparatory stage focusing on inclusion and citizen expression. 

Through these dynamics, the European Dialogues seek to build a collective voice, unlocking common perspectives for the future of the region and strengthen the role of young generations in building a more open and resilient democracy.