OSCE Mission holds local government conference for interns in Serbia

BELGRADE, 25 November 2005 - Municipal interns from across Serbia received extensive training at a two-day local government orientation conference ending today in Belgrade. The conference, organized by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of municipal assemblies through both substantive lectures on local government issues and practical skills training.

Launched in October, the programme is a key component of a larger project aimed at improving local government in Serbia. Interns will attend assembly sessions, work with local councilors, and gain insight into assembly procedures.

"Improving the effectiveness of local government institutions is crucial to the decentralization process," said Shaun Barcavage, Governance Adviser of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro. "Exposing young people to these institutions is particularly important since youth represent the next generation of citizens in a democratic Serbia."

The 12 interns, who come from diverse academic and ethnic backgrounds, were jointly recruited by the OSCE Mission and their respective municipalities to participate in a year-long municipal internship programme.

The interns were joined by their mentors, who received training on their roles and responsibilities, financial reporting, and evaluation techniques, while the interns learned about the functioning of local government, the protection of minorities, and integration into the European Union. Participants also worked on improving their public speaking and team-building skills.