Diakonie Youth Center

Youth Center is a project of Diakonie Kosovo which was inaugurated on 19 September 2013. The Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, Dirk Niebel and Diakonie Kosovo initiated and realized in 2011. It is implemented and funded by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Municipality of Mitrovica.

Youth Center aims to improve communication and co-existence of different ethnicities and enable the first steps toward the recognition and acceptance among them.

It is located immediately near the Ibër river and the famous bridge, which connects/separates the north side and the southern part of Mitrovica. The bridge is recognized currently as a symbol of conflict and division of the population. It is our hope that with time Youth Center will affect in improving/changing the situation from both sides.

New Youth Center is a “house with open doors” that enables young people to deal more leisure activities and different games. This would enable intercultural learning. In addition the center provides the joint activities in the framework of different training- sport, recreation and other activities that enable the educational development.

Young people from both sides can learn from contact with each other, to overcome existing current conflicts and to develop common perspectives. Personal and professional advisory services are also part of the wide range of Youth Center.

The Center has a multiethnic staff: Bosniaks, Serbs and Albanians working together, who will be example for youth. The workers are ready at any time, as part of the work, to talk to young people to advise, accompany ,mediate and to support them during the difficult process of integration. Also accept new ideas and assist in the implementation of their opportunities.

The youth are engaged since the beginning with the developement of concept. This process of ongoing development and co-operation with the inclusion of young people of different ethnicities is an important part of the Youth Center.