About the LBO

The RYCO Local Branch Office in Kosovo is based in Pristina and operates throughout Kosovo, fostering youth engagement and leadership development in a diverse and inclusive environment. Until December 2023, the EU visa regime significantly limited mobility, making RYCO’s regional mobility programs and learning opportunities especially important for youth participation and cross-cultural exchange.

The LBO supports the implementation of regional programs and projects at the local level, enabling young people and other stakeholders from Kosovo to engage in intercultural dialogue, learning, peacebuilding, and reconciliation activities. Established in 2017, the office gained official status as a Representative Office on 23 October 2023.

Local impact

19

HIGH SCHOOLS

460

STUDENTS

55

CSOS

1,000+

YOUNG PEOPLE

7

CULTURAL PRACTITIONERS

55

YOUNG JOURNALISTS

10

HARMONY HERO AWARDEES

48

YOUNG DEVELOPERS
  • Open Calls: 15 NGOs were supported to conduct youth exchanges in the region.
  • Superschools: 19 schools from different municipalities implemented school-to-school exchanges with RYCO Contracting Parties. The narrative section of the factsheet notes that more than 200 students from different backgrounds travelled within the region through this project, many for the first time.
  • Western Balkans Youth Cultural Fund: 7 cultural practitioners implemented RYCO-relevant projects, while 16 individuals strengthened their skills in organizing cultural activities for peace and reconciliation through capacity-building trainings.
  • MIRAI: 12 young people from Kosovo were provided with the opportunity to travel to Japan.
  • Peace Broadcasters: The program expanded regionally and has trained 39 young people to produce stories on transitional justice, intercultural dialogue, and constructive journalism, with work featured on Deutsche Welle and local media.
  • RYCOgnized: Activities included education-focused dialogue with 60 Albanian and Serb students, solidarity actions involving 30 volunteers, basic YPS training for 20 youth, a “Student, Peace, and Security” conference with 200 multiethnic students, and a photography training with 15 participants from Kosovo and Serbia.
  • Local initiatives: More than 40 CSO representatives were trained in intercultural dialogue, digital youth work, and project management; Youth Talks engaged more than 200 participants; the Harmony Hero Award recognized 10 young peacebuilders across 2023 and 2024; the Mitrovica Volunteer Festival brought together 100 young people; Solidarity Action Day engaged 456 participants; and GAME JAM at the Western Balkans Digital Summit involved 48 young developers and showcased prototypes to more than 300 attendees.

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About RYCO

Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) is an independently functioning institutional mechanism, founded by the Western Balkans 6 participants (WB 6): Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, aiming to promote the spirit of reconciliation and cooperation between the youth in the region through youth exchange programs.
Address
Rruga Skënderbej 8/2/2
e-mail
 office@rycowb.org
Office Hours
Monday-Friday: 09:00-17:00h