The Young Bled Strategic Forum marked the culmination of a year-long learning journey for the eight participants of WeWrite, an initiative under the EU-funded multi-beneficiary project “WeLead: EU Scheme for Young Professionals in the Western Balkans” (WeLead). Over the past year, the young public officials developed their policy papers with the support of experienced mentors. Their efforts are captured in the publication “WeWrite: From Ideas to Influence,” which brings together eight policy papers addressing real-world challenges relevant to public governance and reform in the Western Balkans.

The papers cover issues related to governance, socioeconomic development, institutional and legal reform, and regional cooperation, offering evidence-based insights and practical recommendations for policymakers. Together, they demonstrate how young professionals can bring fresh perspectives to policy debates while developing the skills and confidence needed to turn ideas into actionable proposals.

The eight authors – Elkjer Qema, Ester Beqiraj, Maja Jovičić Prole, Aurora Popova, Lirikë Kamberi, Aleksandar Cvijović, Daniel Jovevski, and Aleksandar Ljubomirović – presented their work during the roundtable discussion “Young Leaders Driving Policy Change After the Rupture: From Ideas to Influence in a Fragmented World.” The discussion was opened by Jana Repanšek, CEF Director, and Prof. Vlado Dimovski, University of Ljubljana School of Economics and Business, and moderated by Prof. Stefan Surlić, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade.

Reflecting on the WeLead journey, CEF Director Jana Repanšek highlighted the quality of contributions across all three generations of the program and the progress made in its implementation over the years. She also acknowledged the commitment of the CEF team, mentors, experts, coaches, facilitators, and partners who contributed to making the program a meaningful learning and professional development experience.

“WeLead is a powerful example of how young leaders can drive policy change. Over four years, the program brought together young public officials and policymakers from across the Western Balkans, helping them build confidence, leadership skills, professional networks, and the capacity to contribute to their institutions and communities. The quality of the work produced across the generations has been impressive, and the program has continued to grow and evolve over time.”

She stressed that the end of the EU-funded program does not mark the end of the need for such initiatives. “While WeLead under EU funding is approaching its conclusion, the need for capable, ethical, and collaborative public leaders remains as important as ever,” Repanšek said, adding that CEF will continue to support leadership development, regional cooperation, mentoring, and peer learning through new programmes and initiatives.

For the WeWrite participants, the forum was more than the final step in a structured learning process. It provided an opportunity to take their ideas beyond the page, exchange perspectives with a wider audience, and demonstrate their potential to contribute to the future of public governance in the Western Balkans.

The WeWrite component is part of the EU-funded multi-beneficiary project “WeLead: EU Scheme for Young Professionals in the Western Balkans” (WeLead), implemented by the CEF. Through mentorship, policy training, peer exchange, and practical opportunities, WeLead supports young professionals in strengthening their competencies and contributing to the region’s reform and European integration efforts.