OSCE Mission to Serbia and Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue mark the completion of the 2023 Professional Practice Programme for young professionals from south and southwest Serbia

On 28 September in Belgrade, seven participants of the 2023 Professional Practice Programme for young professionals from south and southwest Serbia received certificates of completion and presented the projects they designed and implemented during their 10-month professional placement with central institutions in Serbia.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Professional Practice Programme provided young men and women from south and southwest Serbia with an opportunity to gain first-hand professional experience in the civil service and improve their understanding of the functioning of Serbia’s democratic institutions. The Programme is implemented by the OSCE Mission to Serbia in partnership with the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue.

“This programme is unique in Serbia.  It connects young professionals from under-represented communities with central institutions: The participants learn about Serbia’s reform agenda and how it is implemented in practice. Institutions commit to fostering youth participation and learning about democratic governance, which the young women and men will hopefully bring home to their communities and apply in their future professional careers,” said Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Jan Braathu.

Throughout the 10-month placement period, the OSCE Mission to Serbia provided participants with a series of training seminars in the area of the rule of law, democratic governance, and project management. The seminars also integrated youth and gender perspectives, providing young people with skills and knowledge to support them in their pursuit of a career in the public sector.

The participants of the 2023 cycle completed their placements at the Office of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality, the Office of Public Procurement, the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, and the Coordination Body for the municipalities of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa.

This year’s cycle was implemented with the support of the Permanent Missions of Norway, the Republic of Türkiye, and Poland to the OSCE.