International Youth Day celebrated (12th August 2006)

Marking 12th august – the International Youth Day, OIA BiH organised a symbolical celebration of this day on Friday, 11th August 3006 at 1 p.m. in front of the Parliament building in Sarajevo. This was the perfect occasion (month and a half before the general elections) for us to remind everyone of the situation young people live in and to emphasize that the political parties wishing to rule must have something to offer to young people. It is precisely because of this that 77 baloons will be released, symbolising those 77% of young people who have expressed their desire to “fly away” from this country.

Unfortunately, young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina haven’t got too many reasons for celebrating such an important day, although it is precisely them it is dedicated to. They prefer thinking about all the problems that still haven’t been solved, despite the fact that the attention of B&H politicians was constantly drawn to those issues. Anyway, the numbers speak for themselves …

• 45% of young people are unemployed and they make one third of the total number of the unemployed in B&H
• Over 100 000 young people have left B&H after the signing of Dayton Peace Agreement
• The most common reasons for leaving B&H are: 1. inadequate education system, 2. unemployment,  . lack of prospects and 4. unstable political situation
• We are in the next to the last position in Europe (39th) in terms of high education reform.
• No investments in youth sector (no Youth Houses, slow process of introducing computers in schools etc.)
• Only 1% of young people believe they can influence the political life in B&H

The state does not adequately care for young people and because of that and numerous other negative influences in the last ten or more years, youth in B&H is passive, inert and insufficiently active. The abovementioned things are the most commonly used arguments whenever the state and politicians want to release themselves from any responsibility for the large percentage of young people leaving the country, not having jobs and adequate education system and without the hope that the situation will soon get better.

This was another chance for reminding everyone that 2006 is the year of elections and that by voting on 1st October everyone will be able to decide on his/her own destiny and the destiny of several thousands of other young people! OIA has requested from the political parties to offer something concrete in their political platforms to the young people and has also realised a number of activities as part of its “Shake up the Country” campaign – 40 000 letters for political parties, meetings with representatives of 8 most prominent political parties, Youth Agenda Document with a questionnaire for all parties, informing more than 30 000 young people about the election process and the political system etc.).

What is the International Youth Day?
On 17th December 1999, with the resolution 54/120, UN General Assembly adopted the suggestion made during the World Conference of Youth Ministers (8th – 12th August 1998, Lisbon) that 12th August be pronounced as the International Youth Day. The Assembly suggested that the Youth Day be promoted through various informative activities, with the goal of raising awareness of the World Youth Action Program in 2000, later adopted by the General Assembly (Resolution 50/81).

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