WBF 2ND INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
After a successful completion of the 1st Internship Program,
WBF has launched on July its 2nd Call for Interns with the aim
to support the professional capacity development of next up to
three interns from WBF Contracting Parties.
Internship Program intends to provide a jump-start to students/
young professional to enhance their knowledge about regional
cooperation and specific objectives of WBF through a 4-week
Program, at the WBF Secretariat premises, in Tirana, Albania.
Application deadline is August 21st.
You can find Application form and other relevant information
on the link below:
http://westernbalkansfund.org/2020/07/08/wbf-call-for-
interns/
LEARN MORE FROM SOME OF OUR 3RD CALL GRANTEES
More information related WBF 3rd Call Grantees, WBF
conducted interviews with some of grantees to provide a
better picture how regional cooperation works in the field.
More information is provided in the interview section with
EKONOMIKS Prishtina, IMPACTHUB Belgrade and DIGIBA
Sarajevo.
Read more on page 5-7
Read on page
WBF UNDER THE IMPACT OF COVID19
We at WBF, are learning day by day and getting more
prepared to face the consequences and the impact of
Covid19 Pandemic and the restrictions it has created to the
normal working conditions and activities. Our work is
continuing uninterrupted, fulfilling the most important
tasks in front of us, actively communicating between
ourselves and with all our partners and stakeholders.
We are in regular communication with our Council of Senior
Officials and especially with the WBF 2020 Podgorica
Chairmanship-in-Office, aiming to ensure continuity
regarding governance and decision-making, and share
insights regarding challenges experienced by civil society.
We are confident that the experience gained and lessons
learned on working on these difficult conditions will
become part of our legacy, improving the capacities and the
ability to adapt by the Secretariat and each of its staff
members.
WBF NETWORKING, MEETINGS AND EVENTS
FAREWELL LUNCH ON THE OCCASION OF THE DEAN OF
DIPLOMATIC CORPS, H.E. MR. ZARIC, TERMINATION OF
MISSION IN TIRANA
On June 25, in collaboration with our RYCO partners, WBF
had the pleasure to host a farewell lunch on the occasion
of the Dean of Diplomatic Corps, H.E. Mr. Zaric,
termination of mission in Tirana.
Good atmosphere in the company of diplomatic
partners!!
COURTESY MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR OF AUSTRIA TO
ALBANIA, H.E.DR. CHRISTIAN STEINER
On June 10th, the Ambassador of Austria to Albania,
H.E.Dr. Christian Steiner, conducted a courtesy meeting
with WBF Executive Director at the WBF Secretariat
premises. This meeting served as a good opportunity to
better inform the Ambassador on the experience and
actions on regional cooperation and people-to-people
links!
COURTESY MEETING WITH H.E. MR. JAPELJ,
AMBASSADOR OF SLOVENIA TO ALBANIA
On June 30th, H.E. Mr. Japelj, Ambassador of Slovenia to
Albania, conducted a courtesy meeting at WBF
Secretariat premises. This meeting was a good
opportunity to learn about Slovenian initiatives in the
region and share the WBF experience on Regional
Cooperation!
V4 GROUP PRESIDENCY HANDOVER CEREMONY IN
TIRANA
On July 3rd, the WBF was present at the V4 Group
Presidency Handover Ceremony in Tirana. WBF is grateful
to the Czech V4 Group Presidency for their continuous
support in strengthening relations between V4 Group and
WBF, and confident that under the guidance of the Polish
Presidency these relations will grow stronger!
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On June 17 took place the first partners' meeting
of the project WBF Funded Project CulTourin.
The project, implemented by the Balkan Network
for Local Democracy Skopje and the Local
Democracy Agencies in Western Balkans, aims at
promoting cultural heritage and tourism
development through new youth-friendly tool.
On June 5, International Consultants Day virtual conference marked its annual anniversary
in a digital format, organized by Business
Consultants Council BCC, Albanian Consulting
Network ACN and Management Consulting
Association “MCA-2000”, gathering over 100
consultants over the region and representatives of
EBRD offices.
Organizers were happy to receive remarks from
representatives of ICMCI / CMC-Global, EBRD
representatives, Western Balkans Fund, ACCESS
Project, and Chamber of Commerce and Industry
of Albania.
Two success stories were unfolded, with the
inspirational presentations about digitalization
accomplishments from Hana Qerimi (Digital
School & StarLabs) and Arianit Fazliu (Digital
Solutions Agency KUTIA).
The highlight of the day was the announcement of
the launch of the project funded by the Western
Balkan Fund and Launch of Regional Cooperation
Agreement between 3 partners.
WBF conducted a ceremonial meeting with the 3rd
Call Grantee Centre for Security Studies and
handed the WBF certificate!
Stay tuned, main Increasing Research Capacities of
WB CSOs project activity to take place on
November.
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The Regional Green Youth Charter (RGYC) project has been launched by our grantee the
European Movement in Serbia from Belgrade, in
partnership with Center for Ecology and Energy
from Tuzla, Democracy for Development from
Prishtina, and ALPHA Center from Niksic.
Such regional partnership has been created to
jointly mobilize and directly cooperate with young
people from less developed areas out of four
territories of the WB6 region, with the aim to
empower them to take more active role in their
local communities in terms of raising of awareness
upon high Green Houses Gas (GHG) emissions in
the WB, and advocacy affairs on benefits for fair
transition to the renewable energy production.
Importantly, along with capacity building of young
people, this project serves as a tool to the young
agents of change in their efforts of campaigning
and advocacy upon more ambitious agenda and its
actions realization upon the reduction of GHG
emissions towards policy makers and relevant
actors in the region.
Over the summer, the project partners will
mobilize and network university students from the
four respective territories of the WB6 region, and
will provide them with knowledge and skills based
on which students will develop RGYC and actions
for the campaigning and advocacy affairs in the
region.
WBF invites all young talented musicians from WB
region to be part of the WBF Funded Project,
“Balkan Youth Jazz Orchestra”. The selected
musicians will have an opportunity to work closely
with prominent jazz experts and their peers from
the region, as well as to perform during Jazz
Appreciation Month 2021
More info on eligibility criteria and application can
be found on the link below:
http://www.jazzartassociation.org/balkan-youth-jazz-
orchestra-3/
PAGE 5
WBF conducted an interview with the Executive Director of EKONOMIKS, Mrs. Majlinda Aliu, a 3rd WBF Call
grantee from Prishtina and understood that one of the significant aspects, considered a factor which continues
causing migration in the Western Balkans is the quality of life in capital cities in the region. Lack of regional
approach to the impact of urban planning on migration is another issue that was brought into the attention
of WBF by a regional project led by the grantee EKONOMIKS from Prishtina. Partners of this project will work
together to better understand and provide a full picture of the phenomenon of migration and how urban
planning can play a role in migration process. Capitals of Western Balkans share a common history, particularly
in the last two decades when demographic changes have dramatically increased the need for expansion in
bigger cities, and in most cases, this has exacerbated the urban planning process. “I strongly believe that this
project can serve as a starting point to push the idea further, our partners already are interested to expand this
regional project into a national level, because migration is a phenomenon happening everywhere, and urban
planning as well is yet unfinished or outdated process which needs a new vision. “(Majlinda Aliu – Executive
Director/ (EKONOMIKS).
COVID19 restrictions didn’t allow partners to meet in person, however, the implementation process has
moved online in order to successfully complete this initiative. This initiative brought together organizations
with similar professional background that continue contributing in their communities and after all their
commitment to spread their contribution into a regional level. This approach will not only address urban
planning problems but the mission is to build new bridges of cooperation and friendship at a regional level
also increase awareness on the importance of regional cooperation and people to people links. “WBF opened
another window of opportunities for us to continue our work and fulfill the mission in building new relations and
initiatives with people from other parts of the Western Balkans and beyond sharing same goals and
objectives.” (Majlinda Aliu – Executive Director/ (EKONOMIKS).
Apart from financial support the mentoring support that WBF provides for its grantees supports them in better
understanding the operationalization of regional initiatives in Western Balkans. “However, politics continue
creating obstacles especially when it comes to cooperation among organizations from Prishtina and Belgrade,
despite the interest and will to cooperate, people in Serbia face many difficulties and pressure when implementing
projects with their Kosovo* counterpart, but that doesn’t stop us or discourage neither of us to continue our
cooperation.” (Majlinda Aliu – Executive Director/ (EKONOMIKS).
WBF grant making support serves in helping civil society organizations in finding a common ground, where
opportunities are more visible than difficulties and use these initiatives to change our citizens’ lives for the
better, and accomplishes its objectives in fostering regional cooperation through people to people links.
LEARN MORE FROM SOME OF OUR 3RD CALL GRANTEES
INTERVIEW WITH MRS. MAJLINDA ALIU, EKONOMIKS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
INTRODUCING “REGIONAL CAPITAL MARKET-RECAP” PROJECT
LEARN MORE FROM SOME OF OUR 3RD CALL GRANTEES
Let’s partner to make the Western Balkans the place to develop businesses and models for growth in international
markets!
Western Balkans Ecosystem Demo Day will be organized on September 18th, 2020 to launch 360°Connect – the go-to-online
community platform for entrepreneurs of the Western Balkans.
WBF introduces the region with the 3rd Call awarded project “Regional Capital Market”, headed by the Impact Hub from
Belgrade, in partnership with Create Foundation from Prishtina and Students Business Center from Podgorica, which
strives for building an online community platform for entrepreneurs, mentors and investors from the Western Balkans
(WB). Such regional initiative offers equal opportunities to collaborate and partner with incubators, accelerators, hubs
from the WB making the region recognized internationally as a thriving community of entrepreneurs building viable and
scalable businesses.
Entrepreneurial ecosystem in the WB is yet not developed. One of the core impediments to the development and growth
of the innovation economy in the region is the limited access to alternative finance and investments relevant to startups
and innovative Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs), and followed by inadequate competences driving the business
growth in accordance with the international market demand. Moreover, potential business angel investors throughout
the region have limited practice and proven models in early-stage startup investing, and this calls for more practice
sharing between the peers in the region and beyond.
Aiming to boost the competitiveness of the Western Balkans, and responding to the need of a growing digital economy
in a “new normal” imposed by COVID-19 in which doing business is primarily online, the Regional Capital Market project
is shifting Impact Hub’s 360⁰ Connect program for startups and SGBs from the national based to the WB6 online
acceleration program. Supporting a community of entrepreneurs, mentors and investors from the WB in one online go-
to-place platform will raise opportunities to access alternative financing models and investing. 360⁰ Connect will
specifically focus on building a virtual space for women founders and gender-diverse startup teams to access diverse
resources for strategic planning and day-to-day operations, sharing their practices and connecting to the targeted
international markets.
To this end, the project is building an online platform 360connect.online which will be launched during the WB Ecosystem
Demo-Day to celebrate the gender-diverse startups and businesses of the region. Startup pitching will be followed by
curated networking and meetups throughout the project implementation, as to create opportunities to fundraise in the
region. Meanwhile, project partnership, headed by the Impact Hub Belgrade has already launched a regional outreach
and the call in the WB6 for all interested startup founders and small growing businesses to apply for the WB Demo-Day
2020, offering an access to currently more than 400 content items focusing on how-to reach product-market-fit and
raising funds for growth. More information upon campaigning, its outcome and proceedings can be followed on the
project respective partnership online media tools.
PAGE 7
For more information related to this Newsletter, please contact us: [email protected]
WBF NEWSLETTER IS PREPARED
WITH THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF
EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND IN
ALBANIA
Since its establishment, WBF was and
still is supported by several dear friends,
partners and collaborators.
Their role and contribution is precious to
us, integral part of our legacy and
heritage!
“WBF is a really fantastic tool for facilitating regional cooperation and encourging
people to seek for partners in the Region”
On the link below you may watch the full the interview WBF Program Coordinator, Mr.
Denis Grbo, conducted with Mrs. Selma Rizvic, President of Digi.Ba.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjJWyj-PnX8
LEARN MORE FROM SOME OF OUR 3RD CALL GRANTEES