Europe House in North Macedonia was launched in November 2019, with the opening of a single point in Skopje by the then President of European Parliament David Sassoli (1956 – 2022). Over the five years, the network has grown from one to seven to include editions in Kriva Palanka and Strumica (2020), Bitola and Veles (2023) and Struga and Tetovo (2024). While ensuring balanced geographical coverage, the Europe House network engages predominantly, but not exclusively, young people from all walks of life.

The marking of the 5-years-anniversary was used to support the 2024 edition of the International festival of drama students’ “Skomrahi”. 6 theatre plays, 8 films, 1 exhibition and numerous students’ meetings were held from 01 to 05 November under the patronage of Europe House. The wrap-up of “Skomrahi” marked the central event of the Europe House network. This is in line with the support for and appreciation of the cultural sector in North Macedonia that Europe House has demonstrated consistently.

But culture is only one area of the activities of Europe House. The network also engages participants on environment, education, health, human rights, digital skills, entrepreneurship, and more. The purpose is to involve young people in activities and initiatives that are important for them and that are related to the EU, its values and policies.

On this occasion, EU Ambassador Michalis Rokas stated that “the mission of Europe House is to bring the EU closer to young people and at the same time help them to realise their dreams and aspirations here in North Macedonia. In this way we seek to contribute to upbringing of a new generation of future EU citizens and leaders”.

To date, the Europe House network organised some 3,500 events, engaging with 140,000 participants. Each day, 70-100 young people interact with or through the network – be it for fostering connections, learning, or sharing a vision for the future. Europe House network will continue to vibrate, to bring young people and society together to share ideas, learn and – most importantly, to make a difference!