In Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina—two countries where history, identity, and political influence intersect daily—youth are growing up in an environment marked by ideological confusion and competing narratives. The war in Ukraine, global alignments, and internal instability have only deepened these divides. But what do young people really think about the world around them? Do they trust Russian narrative or the West? Do they see Russia as a partner or an aggressor? Are they engaged in shaping their societies, or have they checked out entirely?
As a result of the MEGAPHONE 2024 – a flagship event during the Digital Activism Accelerator project run by TechSoup and its Partners with support from Google.org, two partner organizations—Europolis from Serbia and the Youth Resource Center (ORC) Tuzla from Bosnia and Herzegovina—decided to dig deeper. They commissioned a large-scale regional survey targeting youth aged 18 to 30 in Serbia, Republika Srpska, and the Federation of BiH. The research aimed to explore what young people in the Western Balkans believe about geopolitics, values, and trust, with the goal of using those insights to spark public discourse and create new opportunities for dialogue and collaboration with youth across the region.
At the same time, this Local Action initiative has opened space for public dialogue and gave young people a rare opportunity to express their views in a structured and visible way—reminding us that, when truly engaged, youth are not apathetic but eager to contribute. This experience shows that even in divided societies, it is possible to build bridges and create spaces where young voices lead the conversation.
The research was implemented by SMART, an organization based in Kikinda, Serbia, and gathered insights from 592 respondents across the three entities. But beyond the numbers, this was a quest to understand a generation whose political compass has been shaped by war legacies, weak institutions, and media manipulation. Amid a flood of conflicting narratives and relentless political noise, young people were asked to pause and reflect—not just on their daily realities, but on deeper geopolitical questions: Who holds power in the world? What do freedom and security truly mean? And can they trust the institutions and the media that claim to represent them?
What emerged was a nuanced—and at times unsettling—portrait of a generation that feels abandoned by institutions, skeptical of democracy, and surprisingly receptive to authoritarian narratives, especially those coming from Russian soft power propaganda. While youth in the Federation of BiH tended to lean more toward pro-Western orientations, those in Republika Srpska and Serbia showed high levels of approval for Russia and its leader, often associating them with values like tradition, stability, and resistance to Western “decay.”
However, the data also revealed another, equally important layer: apathy. A significant portion of respondents said they had no strong opinion or simply didn’t care. This indifference may be even more alarming than ideological alignment. It speaks to a generation that feels powerless, unheard, and disconnected from political life, both local and global.
This blog post shares the findings of the survey—but it also tells the story of what came next: a targeted public campaign that brought the data to life through infographics, visual storytelling, and interactive discussions with young people across the region. Because if the future belongs to the young, then knowing where they stand is not just important—it’s urgent.
Target group and activities
The Local Action focused on young people aged 18–30 from Serbia, Republika Srpska, and the Federation of BiH.
Through a regional survey conducted by SMART (Kikinda), 592 youth were engaged directly, while a visual campaign based on the findings reached over 38,000 people on social media.
Key actions included a cross-border survey, and the production of 22 infographics and visuals aimed at sparking reflection and discussion among youth.
Relevance and impact
The initiative has revealed strong political divisions, deep mistrust in institutions, and significant apathy. At the same time, it has opened space for public dialogue and gave youth a rare opportunity to express their views in a structured and visible way.
Challenges faced
Working across politically divided contexts like Serbia, RS, and FBiH brought expected difficulties. Some young people were cautious when talking about sensitive topics, and the polarized online space occasionally made meaningful engagement harder. Coordination between partner teams also required flexibility and ongoing trust-building.
Conclusion
Despite the challenges, the Local Action has directly engaged hundreds of young people and reached tens of thousands more through a region-wide campaign—turning raw data into conversation, and conversation into connection. By visualizing the findings and opening them up to public interpretation, the project made space for youth voices to be seen and heard across the entity lines. For many, it was the first time they felt their views were not only collected but acknowledged and reflected upon publicly. In doing so, the initiative has laid the groundwork for continued cooperation between youth actors, civil society, and institutions—proving that even in a fragmented political environment, meaningful engagement is not only possible, but necessary.
This momentum now opens the door for new initiatives—led by and for young people—that can build on these findings to shape policy, strengthen participation, and challenge the idea that youth are apathetic. When invited into the conversation, they show up—not just as respondents, but as active agents of change.
What We Learned – and What Comes Next
The Local Action organized as a result of the MEGAPHONE 2024 has confirmed what we long suspected: young people in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are not indifferent—they’re just excluded. When asked real questions in a real way, they responded with clarity, doubt, frustration, and insight. Their answers challenge stereotypes, shake up assumptions, and open space for something rare in this region: an honest generational conversation across entity lines.
This is not the end—just a spark.
Let’s stop guessing what youth think—ask them.
If you're an educator, activist, journalist, or policymaker, take our findings and build on them. Use them to start conversations, challenge assumptions, and involve young people—not just as subjects, but as co-creators of change.
And if you're a young person reading this:
Your opinion is not noise. It’s a signal. Keep speaking up.
Europolis is a civic organization based in Novi Sad, Serbia, working at the intersection of youth participation, public accountability, and critical political education. Since its founding, Europolis has led research, campaigns, and local actions focused on empowering youth to actively shape democratic and social change in Serbia and the wider Western Balkans.
The organization addresses key issues such as local governance, institutional transparency, media literacy, and youth political culture, with a strong emphasis on amplifying underrepresented voices.
📍 Website: www.cdde.rs
📧 Email: office@cdde.rs
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/CDDEuropolis
This Local Action has been implemented as a result of the MEGAPHONE 2024 event, which was part of the Digital Activism Accelerator project supported by Google.org. The project is a part of TechSoup's Digital Activism Program.