In the beginning, I would like to use this opportunity to sincerely thank the OSCE for the once-of-a-lifetime experience provided to us through the scholarship to attend the European Innovation Academy (EIA) in Porto. We changed and evolved in many different ways, and the idea we worked on in Portugal continues to live, reflecting our profound dedication to bringing about positive change in our communities. 

__________________________________________________________

At the EIA, the so-called Day 0 was quite challenging--we stressed whether we would be able to establish a team following a set of rules set by the Organizing Team. People passed by our canvas and would join our team but eventually let us know they chose someone else. Just when we thought that we three, who already constituted the team, should diffuse and join other groups and projects, Ana's persistence and dedication brought us the fourth and, finally, the fifth team member--both from Cyprus! 

A once challenging commencement day pivoted into three weeks of hard work and deep conversations that established a microcosm of a close-knitted family consisting of five members:

• Ana Tanasijević (Serbia🇷🇸), 
• Aleksa Stanišić (Serbia🇷🇸),
• Marianna Constantinou (Cyprus🇨🇾),
• Constantinos Palochis (Cyprus🇨🇾), and
• me, Andrijana Paljušević (Montenegro🇲🇪).

Together, we developed a prototype for the app Idemo!, which aims to enhance the cultural, artistic, sports, and educational scene in Serbia, eventually followed by its launch in other countries in the region. The platform will offer information about local, national, regional and global events and opportunities to different communities across Serbia. We want to deliver young people easy and free access to information and provide space to less prominent artists, NGOs, institutions, and companies to promote their activities. 

Our goal is to contribute to the creation of an area where cultural, artistic, sports and educational activities are cherished and developed. We also want to present young people with a chance to spend their free time in a quality way while meeting others, thus constructing socially cohesive communities.

Our long-term vision is to reach the whole Western Balkans region while being guided by the lodestar of building bridges between diverse people. 

CC: Ana Tanasijević xx Aleksa Stanišić