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WBF is an International Organization established by the governments of the WB6 to promote cooperation

30/10/2026

📢 Many of our applications, and many of the projects we support, come from smaller cities and communities across the Western Balkans.

🫂 And there is something powerful in bringing together places like 𝐒𝐣𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚, 𝐃𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐣, 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞. Different local realities, but similar hopes, challenges and ambitions among young people.

“Small Communities, Big Voices” is organising activities across all four cities, listening to young people who want to be heard, creating spaces for dialogue, and helping communities reconnect across borders.

✅ The ongoing project is led by: Eco Infinity in Sjenica, together with partners:

- Balkan Youth Activism (BYA) in Korçë
- Association for Cultural and Educational Development YOUTH ON BOARD in Štip
- NGO Tolerancijom protiv različitosti – ToPeeR in Doboj.

Up to 120 young people from small and rural communities are taking part, proving that regional cooperation does not belong only to capitals and large institutions.

The project is supported through the GGI Grant Scheme of the Western Balkans Fund.

🇪🇺 The Grant Scheme is co-funded by the European Union through IPA III, the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, under the Civil Society and Media Programme for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

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29/10/2026

🎬 Two weeks after the EUth Negotiators Forum, we’re revisiting the moments that brought young people together to exchange ideas, challenge each other and find common ground.

🤝 Participants strengthened their knowledge of EU accession, sharpened their negotiation and policy skills and jointly developed a Regional Youth Policy Paper on youth participation in EU enlargement and policymaking.

We look forward to supporting the translation of the findings into concrete actions

This project is is implemented by Strategers Institute in Skopje, in partnership with Partners Albania for Change and Development in Tirana, NVO Centar za omladinsku edukaciju in Podgorica and Regional School of Public Administration.

🇪🇺 This initiative is part of the GGI Grants Scheme. The GGI Grants are co-funded by the European Union, through IPA III – Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, under the Civil Society Facility and Media Programme for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

28/10/2026

🤝 WBF–Japan join hands again: a new transformative initiative begins

📍 Today, at the WBF Secretariat, we had the pleasure of welcoming H.E. Ambassador Kato and her team to formalise the continuation of one of WBF’s longest-standing and most successful partnerships, now entering its eighth year.

✅ Over the past 7⃣ editions, WBF and Japan have brought some of the most important issues shaping everyday life across the Western Balkans to the regional table: civil society cooperation, local governance, disinformation and fake news, women’s empowerment, youth leadership, diaspora engagement and stronger people-to-people connections.

🫵 Now, we are opening a new chapter, joining forces around environmental protection, green economy, climate change, sustainability and regional action on challenges that know no borders.

🇯🇵 The WBF–Japan partnership was born within the framework of Japan’s Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative, launched by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2018.

We are proud to continue this initiative and expand it further.

28/10/2026

🎥 On 11–12 October in Tirana, Reframing the Frame: Intergenerational Western Balkans Film Exchange brought together filmmakers, curators, educators and emerging cultural practitioners from all the WB Region.

🤝 Through a regional forum, screenings, a cine-concert and networking activities, participants exchanged experiences on film education, audience development, cultural decentralisation and stronger professional links across the region.

🤝 The project was supported through the Western Balkans Fund Matching Grants mechanism and implemented by:

✅ United Nations Association Albania (UNAA)
✅ Albanian Cinematheque
✅ British Film Institute (BFI)
✅ DokuFest in Prizren
✅ Independent Film Centre Filmart / Interaction in Pozrega
✅ Winter Apricots International Film Festival in Prilep.

📍WBF Matching Scheme is a scheme that remains open all year round and is specialy designed to support the transformation of ongoing national initiatives to flagship regional events.

27/10/2026

🫵 Future leaders of the Western Balkans, this one’s for you

The 🇦🇹 Austrian Western Balkans Academy is now accepting applications for the first cohort of its mentoring programme for young decision-makers from across the region.

👥 Who can apply: high-potential professionals up to age 30 from business, politics, public administration and civil society, who are citizens of a Western Balkan country.

🗓️ Four modules across 2027:

📍 8–10 March | Vienna: workshop on Europe, Austria and the Western Balkans, covering how the EU works, EU funding opportunities and Austria’s role in enlargement

📍 11–12 March | Vienna & region: placements with Austrian companies and institutions, plus one-on-one mentoring with senior leaders

📍 8–11 June | Europa-Forum Wachau: Partner Salon with high-level speakers and networking

📍 15–17 November | Brussels: study visit to the EU institutions and the region’s Permanent Representations

✅ Participation is free. Accommodation and meals are covered and economy flights are reimbursed up to €365 per module. Graduates join an alumni network that meets every year.

📝 Apply by 31 December 2026. Send your CV and a motivation letter (max. 600 words) to [email protected].

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed online on 18–20 January 2027. The whole programme runs in English.

27/10/2026

✅ The Western Balkans Fund’s Gender Equality Fund has received recognition at the highest political level, with head of states of the Western Balkans and the European Union welcoming its role in advancing gender equality across the region.

📍 The Chair’s Conclusions of the Budva Summit explicitely welcomed the WBF decision to dedicate 15% of the budget to gender equality initiatives and acknowledged the successful launch of the first Call for Proposals.

Decision No. 37 states:

“Participants welcomed the implementation of the WB6 decision to earmark 15% of Western Balkans Fund (WBF) resources for gender equality initiatives through the WBF Gender Equality Fund (GEFund), noted its successful launch, and encouraged sustained financial support for this mechanism”.

💪 But this is only the beginning.

Our ambition is clear: to build on the success of the pilot and develop GEFund into a lasting regional mechanism promoting equal access, equal opportunities and equal rights through regional initiatives.

26/10/2026

📢 𝐄𝐑𝐂 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬: 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝

🤝 The deadline for applications to the Empowering Regional Cooperation (ERC) Grant Scheme – 2nd Call for Applications has now closed.

🙏 We would like to congratulate all applicants and express our sincere appreciation to everyone who demonstrated interest in this opportunity, engaged with our team, participated in our regional and online information sessions, sought partnerships, etc.

💪 The strong interest shown throughout the Call reflects the continued commitment of civil society actors across the Western Balkans to regional cooperation, dialogue, and meaningful cross-border partnerships.

👩🏻‍🏫 With the closure of the Call, we now immediately begin the evaluation process, which is expected to take several weeks, with the notification of results foreseen for December 2026.

Good luck to all applicants!

🇪🇺 The ERC Grant Scheme is co-funded by the European Union through IPA III, the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, under the Civil Society and Media Programme for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

22/10/2026

🇪🇺 WBF at the Berlin Process Leaders Summit

🤝 Today in Miločer, Budva, the Executive Director of the Western Balkans Fund, Dr. Murra, attended the Berlin Process Leaders Summit, the culminating event of Montenegro’s 2026 Chairmanship of the Berlin Process.

📍 Participating at the round table of international donors and regional initiatives, WBF highlighted the importance of turning political commitments into concrete opportunities, stronger regional links and tangible benefits for the people of the Region.

🤝 On the margins, Dr. Murra also exchanged greetings with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Prime Ministers Spajić, Mickoski, Kurti, etc.

✅ We express our sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro for its excellent hosting of the Summit in Miločer 🇲🇪.

💪 The Fund’s presence reflects the growing recognition of regionally owned cooperation as an essential part of our shared European journey.

22/10/2026

📍 The Region is on motion!

🤝 At the margins of the Berlin Process Leaders’ Summit, the Executive Director of the WBF, Dr. Murra, joined heads of regional initiatives for a conversation on what we can deliver together.

Different mandates, one goal: concrete results for the people of the Western Balkans.

💪 This meeting takes places under the 🇲🇪 Montenegro 2026 Presidency of the Fund, which is contributing directly to strengthening our organisation, while reincorcing its regional ownership and impact.

21/10/2026

📍 In Podgorica and Skopje, the EUth Negotiators of the Future Forum brought young people from across the Western Balkans together to learn how EU accession works and to practise negotiation and compromise.

🟢 The aim was to prepare a new generation of informed, confident voices to shape our region’s path towards EU membership, while building the cross-border connections that make that path possible.

🤝 The forums were organized by Strategers Instiutute in Skopje and Partners, the NVO Centar za omladinsku edukaciju in Podgorica, Partners Albania for Change and Development in Tirana and ReSPA – Regional School for Public Administration, as part of the WBF-EU Joint Action.

❓ Do you want to have your impact or leaft your fingerprint in the future of the Region.

You don’t need to wait. The Empowering Regional Cooperation (ERC) Grants Scheme is currently open and accepting applications until 26 October (14.00 PM)

Apply now!

🇪🇺 The ERC Grant Scheme is co-funded by the European Union through IPA III, the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, under the Civil Society and Media Programme for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

Address

Rruga Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu (Street), (The Block Of Embassies), Nr. 8, 4th Floor, Apt. 35/36
Tirana
1000

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

0035542400420

Website

http://www.westernbalkansfund.org/

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