Ambassador Johann Sattler, Head of the European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, met 7 March with over 200 students from the Faculty of Economics, University of Tuzla and Faculty of Business Studies in Bijeljina, University of East Sarajevo, as part of the continuation of last year’s EU project in BiH aimed at students of public universities, titled Generation Change.
“We are happy to launch the new edition of our Generation Change programme! Last year, we managed to include over 700 students from all public universities, and give them a platform not only to learn and exchange different ideas, but to be creative, and voice their needs in a different and unique way. This year, we are expanding GenChange and including new groups of young people, and I am looking forward to the results. As Tuzla is a home to brilliant young entrepreneurs, we thought it is a good place to start this year’s journey and talk about possibilities for turning ideas into successful businesses,” said Ambassador Sattler.
Joining the discussion with students on youth entrepreneurship were Damijan Sedar, Ambassador of Slovenia in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mirha Skakić, founder of the nutrition center NutriSano in Tuzla, Kenan Suljić, founder of the D-App application and Mirjana Jovanović, founder and owner of the business concept Soul.
“It is an honour and a pleasure to be here today because it is really important for us, potential entrepreneurs, to hear all these inspiring stories”, said one of the students of the Faculty of Business Economics in Bijeljina.
“It was very useful to attend this event, to meet young entrepreneurs and also Ambassador Sattler. I believe that it is very important for young people to know that they have support and that they can get this support from the EU. A friend and I will probably enter the competition that was presented to us because we are very creative and I think we can show it here”, added also the student of the Faculty of Economics in Tuzla.
The event ended with announcements of a series of activities with students that will follow in Sarajevo, Mostar, and Banja Luka, inviting them to participate in this year’s Generation Change programme and eventually win a study trip to Brussels this summer.
In the coming period, the EU representatives, together with the EU Member States ambassadors, will meet with students from the remaining six public universities, as well as young professionals from different spheres of life. All events will be an opportunity to engage over 600 students from across the country in debates on various topics important for young people in BiH, as well as for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress towards the EU membership.
