The Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, on Tuesday met with members of the Young Liberals Club. The discussion covered issues affecting youth, including education, employment, emigration of young people from BiH, youth participation in government, and gender representation in public life.
Ambassador Hays told his audience that one of major problems in BiH was the lack of a successor generation of political leaders who understand what it takes to modernize the country and improve the lives of its people. “I have met young people like yourselves throughout BiH,” he said. “Link up with them and get your voices heard in order to create a movement of change. Young people can bring together a critical mass that won’t accept ethnic separation, that will not tolerate intellectual ethnic cleansing in schools and universities.”
“Many young people don’t feel that BiH is our country,” said one participant at the meeting. “But we want youth to be in parliamentary and executive positions, not just because they are young but because they are willing and capable.”
Another participant pointed out that “Young people have fresh ideas, and if the politicians create a positive environment for the future development of small and medium enterprises, these young people will become entrepreneurs. But first the state has to pass laws that stimulate business.”