09:30-10:00
Briefing for the media by the host of the PFD H.E. Mr. Bujar Osmani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia

09:00-12:00
Economic and Business Session “On the Road to a Better Connected and Integrated Region – What is at stake? How do we get there?”

This session will discuss:

• New challenges and solutions for boosting the regional economic cooperation and economic recovery in the post pandemic era: Detecting the main risks affecting the states’ economies; can the existing regional funds support the economic recovery and the business sectore.g. to promote near shoring?)
• How to implement the Action Plan for the Common Regional Market (structured around free movement of people, capital, goods and services)
• Sharing the best experiences for Cross-border Cooperation and Connectivity
• The role of Diaspora in the regional, national and local economic development
• Promoting sustainable innovation through Smart Specialization Strategies

09:00-10:30
Civil Society and Media Session “The Civil Society and the Media in the Regional and European Integration Processes”

This session will discuss:

• How genuine is the partnership between the governments and the civil society?
• The media role to fighting together the prejudices, stereotypes and fake news as best remedy for bringing the citizens from the different sides of the borders closer to each other
• Can we develop mechanisms and incentives to enhancing and intensifying the regional cooperation between the civil society organizations, youth, academia, media, culture, sport and other workers?

10:45-12:15
Fishbowl conversation “The Road to EU: What to Expect When You’re Expecting”

This session will discuss:

• What the accession process is all about (highlighting the merit-based component) – prioritizing rule of law and judicial reforms
• North Macedonia as a serious test for the EU credibility and its ability to make a difference in this region, possible outcomes and consequences (win-win or lose-lose scenario)
• Scenarios for unlocking the enlargement impasse both in the region and at EU level

09:30-11:30
Panel: “Advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the Western Balkans

This session will discuss:

• How to ensure gender equality, equity and parity through advancing the WPS Agenda in the Western Balkans?
• How to better leverage best practices and lessons learned in the Western Balkans to advance the WPS Agenda? What are the next steps
• Why do women in the Western Balkans remain underrepresented in decision-making processes in all spheres of life? How to further strengthen their participation in high level decision making platforms, with specific focus on advancing the WPS Agenda through enhanced dialogue, mutual respect and effective regional cooperation?

12:15-12:25

Ceremony of Awards Presentation

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of North Macedonia presentation of awards to 30 foreign nationals in recognition of their help and assistance in completing the Euro-Atlantic perspective, as well as the strengthening of the multiethnic, multicultural and multi-confessional cohesion of our country and society

14:00-17:00
Ministers of Foreign Affairs Session “Building Confidence Through Dialogue”

This session will discuss:

• The Art of Diplomacy: Ways and means how to achieve sustainable solutions via confidence building and mutual respect, overcoming open regional issues and moving forward towards full EU membership
• Experiences, achievements, challenges and ideas for the processes of negotiating, concluding and implementing bilateral and regional agreements
• How to overcome the gap between the expressed political will of the governments for genuine regional cooperation and good-neighborly relations, and the actual situation on the ground?

15:00-16:30
Ohrid Framework Agreement – 20 years later

17:00-18:45
Time for bilateral meetings – Signing of Joint Declaration for establishing a Bilateral Youth Cooperation Office between North Macedonia and Greece

19:00-20:45
Official opening of the Conference – “Road to Prespa”

This session will discuss:

• How much North Macedonia success story is well known and spread out to the wider public?
• Did and to what extent the Ohrid Framework Agreement and the Agreements with Bulgaria and Greece changed the perception about North Macedonia and, in general, about the region?
• Addressing the challenges in the implementation of the three agreements of North Macedonia

21:00-21:30
Welcoming reception

10:30-13:30
High-Level Plenary Session “Resetting the EU-US Synergy Towards Western Balkans”

12:00-13:30
Continuation of the High-Level Plenary Session “Resetting the EU-US Synergy Towards Western Balkans”

This session will discuss:

• The renewed Trans-Atlantic partnership: a guarantor for the European and regional security and stability
• Preserving and reviving the European perspective of the region
• Successes and challenges in the Western Balkans
• Working together to steer our future

08:30-10:00
Panel “What can we do for the EU? Western Balkans contribution the Conference on the future of Europe – Voices from the region”

This session will discuss:

• How much the Western Balkan citizens and institutions are interested in and are following the debate on the Future of Europe?
• As future members of the European Union, what could be their contribution in shaping the Union’s future policies and ambitions, improving its resilience and capacity to act, for ex. in the diversification of supply chains, greening of the Western Balkans economies etc.?
• Does the Conference on the Future of Europe is ready to listen and to take into consideration the expectations of the Western Balkans from the family they want to join?

09:30-10:30
Panel “In search for agents of change: Lessons from the long-standing disputes in Southeast Europe”

This session will discuss:

• What are the factors that make certain leaders in the region following an unpopular path of reconciliation and dispute resolution: bold and transformative leadership that is willing to confront public opinion and strike unpopular compromises or the lack thereof?
• How to address the attitudes of the public opinion and the wider society that often present themselves as key obstacles too difficult policy compromises?
• Who are the possible agents that could drive the positive change in the region?

13:30-15:00
H.E. Mr. Bujar Osmani – Presentation of Awards to the partners and supporters of the 2021 PFD

15:00-16:00
Concluding Plenary Session

Concluding remarks – H.E. Mr. Bujar Osmani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia

19:30-21:00
Welcoming reception hosted by Mr. Zhivko Gosharevski, Mayor of Resen

09:30–19:00
Youth Session “Grassroots Youth Voices for Bringing the Region Closer Together”

11:30-13:30
Youth Panel I “Youth vision for the future of the South East Europe Region”

This Panel will discuss:

• The three agreements of the Republic of North Macedonia: what role of the youth in the implementation of the agreements and reflecting on their value added for possible solutions of other bilateral and regional open issues?
• “Should I stay or should I go?” How to address the regional youth migratory trends and the raising brain-drain?
• How the youth could make the EU integration agenda to move ahead?

15:00-16:30
Youth Panel II “My Region – My Home”

Following the introductory addresses, the Panel participants will split into three Working groups aimed at preparing a text of Memorandum for Cooperation on addressing the brain drain and other key challenges of young people in the region and an Action Plan for its implementation.

17:00-18.00
Youth Panel III “Generations in Dialogue – mechanisms for building a culture of youth cooperation for democratic and economically progressive and resilient societies in the Covid-19 post-pandemic era”

This Panel will discuss:

• The voice and the role of youth in creating and implementing the national cross-sectors policies
• Creation of the youth sustainable activities for building long term cooperation

18:00-19:00
Open sharing discussion and presentation of conclusions/recommendations of the Youth Forum

11:00-13:00
Local Self Government Round-Table “The perspectives of the cross-border cooperation in light of the EU for Prespa project” (in parallel with the Youth Session)

The Round-Table will discuss:

• The perspectives for local cooperation – youth, culture, tourism, sports, economy
• The future of the Prespa Region – a common denominator for cooperation between the three municipalities and a point of convergence

Departure of the participants of the Youth Forum and Local self government round-table to Ohrid and presentation of the conclusion/recommendations at the Concluding plenary session