Students of the JU Mixed Secondary School “25. maj” and the “Mehmet Fatih” Madrasa in Tuzi had the opportunity to learn about the European Union in a different and interactive way—through conversation, exchange of experiences, and a knowledge quiz, as part of the event “EU in Your School,” held in the Assembly Hall of the Municipality of Tuzi. The event was organized by the Ministry of European Affairs and the Municipality of Tuzi within the initiative “Empowering Municipalities for European Action 2026,” implemented through the EU4ME project, funded by the European Union.
The importance of involving young people in European integration and actively participating in shaping the future of the community was emphasized by Drita Rukaj, Head of the Office of the Mayor of Tuzi.
“Today’s event is an opportunity to talk about the European Union in a slightly different, more interesting way—through a quiz, socializing, and exchange of knowledge. Our goal is to bring EU topics closer to young people, help them understand them better, and encourage your interest to be active and involved,” Rukaj said.
The basics of the European Union, how it functions, as well as the importance of the accession process for Montenegro and the current stage of negotiations, were presented by State Secretary at the Ministry of European Affairs, Biljana Papović.
“The activities implemented by the Ministry of European Affairs are aimed at new generations, who will live and grow up in Montenegro as a full member of the European Union. It is important for us to visit as many Montenegrin municipalities as possible and talk with citizens about both the achievements and the challenges that lie ahead on the European path,” Papović said.
A special focus was placed on the opportunities available to young people through European Union programmes. These opportunities were presented by Young European Ambassador Edina Osmanović, who shared concrete experiences and encouraged students to be active and take advantage of opportunities for education, mobility, and personal development.
“I would encourage young people to take advantage of the opportunities and programmes offered by the European Union, starting with the Erasmus+ exchange programme, studying abroad, short-term exchanges, through which they can be part of international projects and gain insight into quality initiatives implemented abroad, and transfer that knowledge back home,” Osmanović added.
She also highlighted the importance of volunteer work, noting that it is highly valued when applying for scholarships, as it demonstrates commitment to improving the local community.
Through the knowledge quiz, participants had the opportunity to show how much they know about the European Union, and the best teams were awarded prizes.