The First �Its the Highest Time� Debate Held in Sarajevo

05 November 2004

UNDP and UNV ran Integrated Youth Programme organized the �Education � Investment of the State� debate in Sarajevo, in cooperation with a gourp of young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This is the first in a series of debates that UNDP and UNV plan to organize in November, with the goal to inform the public about the aspirations of the youth in B&H to build a modern and healthy society. Additional six debates will be organizes under the �Its the Highest Time� Programme.

The first event, dedicated to education, gathered the representatives of political parties� youth organizations, NGOs and young journalists.

As said before, the goal of the debate was to turn the attention to the fact that the youth has its own proposals for education reform, and that the application of those proposals may become a long term investment of the state in its own future.

It was emphasized that the speed of the reforms of education in B&H should be increased, together with greater involvement of the young population in all segments of the reform. Also, coordination should be secured between the activities of the youth and student organizations and the political parties� youth organizations, to solve the problems in the field.

The participants in the debate said that the efforts in the implementation of systematic approach to the Bologna Declaration should be increased, and the university curriculum should be approximated to the EU standards.

In addition to education, UNDP and UNV, with the support of the DFID programme of the UK Embassy in Sarajevo, will organize debate on employment, youth housing, health and development, youth and society, civil society and social change, and youth alternatives.