Youth Cross the Border: Over 10,000 Participants in North Macedonia–Greece Youth Cooperation Project

As political tensions linger, young people quietly build friendships, trust, and policy alternatives from the ground up.

What politicians failed to do for decades, young people accomplished in five years. They crossed the border—not just physically, but mentally, culturally, and emotionally. The project “Cooperation for a Common Future”, now concluding with an official event in Skopje, brought together over 10,000 youth from North Macedonia and Greece, forming lasting partnerships and dismantling stereotypes.

Five Years, Four Phases, Thousands of Voices

From 2020 to 2025, the project unfolded in four key phases, becoming one of the most extensive cross-border youth initiatives in the region. It wasn’t just about formal exchange — it was a long-term investment in grassroots cooperation: among young people, educators, activists, entrepreneurs, and civil society actors.

According to the Impact Report, youth “challenged stereotypes and built genuine good-neighborly relations through collaboration, not declarations.”

In a context where political relations between the two countries remain fragile and often manipulated, the project stands as proof that reconciliation is not a distant ideal, but a lived, ongoing practice — one built in conversations, friendships, and joint action.

“Next Chapters for a Common Future” – An Ending That Opens

The closing event titled “Next Chapters for a Common Future” takes place on Friday, July 11, 2025, from 09:00 to 15:00 at Vodenica Mulino Restaurant in Skopje.

It will bring together over 80 participants from North Macedonia and Greece, including:

• Government representatives,

• Social entrepreneurs,

• Academics,

• Civil society organizations,

• Journalists and media outlets.

The event is organized by Youth Alliance – Krusevo, one of North Macedonia’s most prominent youth organizations, with a strong record in fostering democratic values and transnational cooperation. A press briefing will take place at 10:30 AM, where organizers will present the key findings from the final project report.

From Participation to Power

Beyond the numbers, the project demonstrates what youth agency looks like in practice. These young participants didn’t wait for permission to collaborate — they created their own networks, built trust, and translated dialogue into long-term initiatives. They crossed not only borders, but mental frameworks.

In years marked by institutional fatigue and public cynicism, projects like this offer a glimpse of a different politics — slower, quieter, but deeply rooted and forward-looking.