OSCE Mission to Moldova promotes youth civic participation in three-day training event

The OSCE Mission to Moldova held a training event for youth from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River between 26 and 28 May 2017 aimed at enhancing youth participation in civic life. The event gathered 39 students and teachers from across Moldova, including from the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, and was held in Vadul-lui-Vodă – a town by the river.

During the training event, the students were encouraged to consider how they can contribute to their local communities by getting involved in volunteering activities and social initiatives. The students learnt about effective leadership and advocacy and analysed the principles of tolerance, political pluralism and gender equality. Finally, role play exercises gave participants the opportunity to develop their negotiation, mediation and public speaking skills and to work as a team.

“It’s long been my ambition to be able to identify problems in my community and to resolve issues through collective efforts,” said Denis Ghiletchii, a student at the Gaidarji Lyceum in Comrat. “I am confident that this training will help me to realize this aim.”

The training event was organized as part of a one-year project implemented jointly by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Comrat-based NGO Piligrim-Demo, and aims to actively engage young people in Moldova, including those belonging to national minorities, in local and national civic life.