Europe House Talks – a New Platform for Cooperation between the EU and BiH

Young activists, changemakers, artists, cultural operators and Young European Ambassadors joined the Head of the EU Delegation/EU Special Representative in BiH Ambassador Johann Sattler yesterday for ...

Young activists, changemakers, artists, cultural operators and Young European Ambassadors joined the Head of the EU Delegation/EU Special Representative in BiH Ambassador Johann Sattler yesterday for a wide-ranging discussion in Sarajevo’s new space for dialogue and exchange – Europe House.

This was the first of the ‘Europe House Talks’ – a format bringing together diverse stakeholders to discuss important topics with a focus on European values and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU path.

Ambassador Sattler underlined that Europe House is envisaged as a home for exchange and new ideas. “Europe House is designed to be a welcoming space that encourages open discussion and hosts diverse visitors who are united by their wish for a more prosperous and more stable Bosnia and Herzegovina with a place assured in the European Union. The Eternal Flame building is iconic, and as well as renovating the space that Europe House is in, we will also renovate the façade to restore its original beauty, as well as make it environmentally friendly. This space will serve as a meeting place, but also a place for exhibitions, workshops, seminars, film screenings and other engaging activities. Young people will be a major focus, and I am thrilled that so many dynamic and engaged young people joined us for the first Europe House Talks, and look forward to many more fascinating discussions”.

The first Europe House Talks brought together young people from Banja Luka, Bijeljina, Brčko, Mostar, Sarajevo and Tuzla, who shared their views on a variety of relevant topics, including education, skills development, the European Year of Skills, culture and human rights. With young people present from across Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was emphasised by a number of participants that similar concepts and networking platforms should be supported in other major cities.

In addition to hosting Europe House Talks, Europe House will organise a variety of activities aimed at providing information to the public in Bosnia and Herzegovina about the country’s EU path and how they can benefit from programmes, projects, institutions and policies of the European Union.