Bujanovac. Presevo – The Center for Democracy and Development of South Serbia association of citizens presented in Bujanovac and Presevo the results of a survey on the cultural needs of young people, which was conducted among young Serbs, Albanians and Roma in the municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja.

The survey is part of the project "Cultural Needs of Youth in Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja – How to Engage in a Dialogue", which is, through the European Progress program, funded by the European Union, the Swiss Government and the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

“We conducted a survey in these three municipalities among young people from all three communities with the intention of finding out what it is that they lack in the field of culture, how they use their free time, what they most frequently watch and read, who has the greatest influence on the formation of their attitudes, how they perceive life and how they spend their free time. The idea of ​​the project is to see what young people are missing, and upon the survey and discussions, organize a public debate with people from the local authorities, the Ministries of Youth and Culture and representatives of the international community, "said Ljiljana Stojanovic, the Project Coordinator. 

The survey showed that the majority of representatives of all ethnic communities in the territory of the three municipalities in South Serbia spent their spare time in three ways: at a coffee shop, socializing with their peers or using their computers.

The results of survey also showed that young people from all three ethnic communities in the municipalities of Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja had some common cultural needs.

Ljeondita Ajdari, a third grade secondary school student, says that she is a member of a folk ensemble, that she socializes with everyone and that she wished there was a theater in Bujanovac. 

“I wish there was a multi-ethnic drama group where we all, Albanians, Serbs and Roma, socialized" she says.

“All young people mainly want to leave Bujanovac because they have nothing that would interest them here. Despite the Subotica Faculty of Economics’ Department in Bujanovac, they opt to study in Pristina and Tirana, "Ljeondita said.

"I would like to travel more and make friends in that way," said Blerim Pjaziti, a secondary school student. 

“It would be nice if the Youth Office could organize for us visits to young people in other municipalities, as well as participation in various seminars and training courses," Bljer says.  

Leonora Ajdare, a secondary school graduate, says that it would be good if other faculties could be opened in Bujanovac in order to give young people the possibility to choose.

The Youth Office in Bujanovac has been operational for two months.

“We have a variety of activities, while young people from the "Sezai Surroi" and "Saint Sava" secondary schools can always come to our office and present their ideas for the implementation of various activities. The most important thing is that we have the support of the local self-government, "says Suajbu Fejzulahu, the Coordinator of the Youth Office in Bujanovac.

Source: Jugpress and Coordination Body