On May 19, the city of Podgorica welcomed representatives of the MEDIActive Youth project for their third full-day consortium meeting. This regional initiative, which promotes media literacy and critical thinking among youth, gathered eight participants representing six partner organizations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro. The meeting was hosted by the Montenegrin organization NVO Prima, whose team ensured a productive and collaborative atmosphere throughout the day.
The meeting served as a crucial checkpoint in the project’s implementation, offering partners the opportunity to assess progress, share insights, and plan the next phase of activities. Discussions began with a comprehensive overview of completed tasks, including the status of various deliverables, and an analysis of what has been achieved since the last meeting. This was followed by an in-depth strategic conversation about the development of the project’s educational components, particularly the Teaching Material Pack, the upcoming MOOC course, and the continued development of the Transnational Youth Magazine.
Participants also addressed communication and dissemination strategies to ensure the project’s visibility and long-term impact. The team reviewed outreach efforts to date, identified areas for improvement, and planned targeted actions to reach youth audiences across the region more effectively. In addition, the meeting provided space for budget evaluation, identifying potential risks, and strengthening mechanisms for quality assurance and sustainability. Each partner had the opportunity to reflect on their roles and responsibilities, while collectively refining timelines and deliverables.
What stood out most during the meeting was the shared commitment to the project’s core mission: equipping young people with the skills and knowledge needed to recognize misinformation, challenge propaganda, and think critically in a media-saturated world. The energy, collaboration, and clarity of purpose demonstrated in Podgorica reflect the strength of this international partnership, and offer strong momentum as the project continues into its next phase.
MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT
The MEDIActive Youth project is a two-year initiative designed to build the capacities of youth NGOs globally, with a special focus on the Balkans within the broader European context. At its heart is the development of high-quality, multilingual Open Educational Resources (OER) in the field of media and news literacy. The project not only strengthens the role of youth organizations in this area but also contributes to dialogue and post-conflict reconciliation in a region historically shaped by division.
The project seeks to increase the competencies of youth workers, NGOs, and activists from six Balkan countries by equipping them with tools for news literacy, critical thinking, and media activism. It fosters their active participation in democratic processes by promoting responsible and informed civic engagement.
Another major focus is the creation and dissemination of accessible, innovative educational resources. These include a comprehensive teaching material pack, a massive open online course (MOOC) titled “Sorting Facts from Fiction: Critical Thinking vs. Information Disorder and Propaganda”, and the continued development of The Transnational Youth Magazine (TYM). The magazine will serve as a cross-continental media platform, connecting youth voices from Europe, Africa, and Latin America, and encouraging them to share perspectives on youth policy, social issues, and current affairs.
Through this work, MEDIActive Youth not only empowers individual learners and youth organizations, but also promotes European values and reconciliation by giving young people a voice, encouraging critical analysis, and strengthening intercultural understanding. The project directly engages 24 youth trainers and 60 young activists across partner countries. Its key outputs include the implementation of a regional training course, the publication of the TMP, the creation of the MOOC, and the writing of at least 60 original articles for the TYM by youth contributors.