NOVI SAD APPLIES FOR THE 2018 EUROPEAN YOUTH CAPITAL TITLE

The City of Novi Sad and the Exit Foundation organized a press conference in the City Hall, presenting the activities and plans of the City of Novi Sad regarding its application for the 2018 European Youth Capital. On the occasion, all the key stakeholders in the application signed a cooperative agreement, while also involved in the application process are the Serbian Union of Students, as a representative of the Local Board of Project Consortium, and the Serbian Youth Umbrella Organization, as the representative of the National Board of Project Consortium. Member of the City Council in charge of sports and youth Predrag Svilar also attended the conference and pointed out that Novi Sad had submitted the concept note, thus officially applying for the 2018 European Youth Capital.
- Improvement of the social status of young people and creation of conditions for the  fulfilment of their needs and interests is one of the City’s priorities and I am very pleased that in the achievement of that goal in this project we are cooperating with different state and provincial institutions and organizations – said Mr. Svilar, adding that Novi Sad has a rich tradition of both formal and informal organization of young people, from the first Youth Grandstand to the Exit Festival, and is unofficially already the youth capital of Serbia and the wider region. Mr. Svilar also said that if our city wins this prestigious title, the city and the work of all the youth and student organizations and associations will be more visible even beyond our country’s borders, which would bring numerous benefits.
President of the Exit Foundation management board Nemanja Milenković expressed his satisfaction with the fact that the idea about the application of Novi Sad for the European Youth Capital has been recognized and supported by numerous youth organizations which have joined the project.
- The Exit Festival is the only big and significant festival in the world that originated in social activism of young people and as such it has once again confirmed that it is still the driver of young people, their inspiration and encouragement to persevere in achieving their goals. Promoting the idea of the application, gathering key stakeholders and directly participating in this great joint undertaking, the Exit Foundation is proud of all the young participants, the City of Novi Sad, the province and the state, just as they are proud of the Exit Festival – said Nemanja Milenković, inviting all the youth organizations and associations with high-quality, creative and original ideas to be a part of the team which will organize the project of Novi Sad as the potential 2018 European Youth Capital.
According to the president of the Serbian Youth Umbrella Organization and the member of the National Board of the Project Consortium Marjan Cvetković, the application is clearly supporting the creation of the encouraging environment for young people in the local area, strengthening youth policies in Serbia and it can be a significant contribution to taking young people from the margins of society as well as allowing their voice to be heard.
The European Youth Capital is an annual title that describes a city as a youth capital with all the contents and programs from the domains of social, cultural, economic and political life of young people and has existed as such since 2009. The idea originated from the need of the young people, as one social niche, especially after and during the world financial crisis, to become social catalysts leading to significant changes in the areas of production, work and progress.

Novi Sad, 27^th February 2015