Young people across the Western Balkans remain deeply committed to democracy and the European future of their region, yet their trust in political institutions is increasingly conditional, shaped by expectations of delivery, accountability, and meaningful inclusion. This message set the tone for the Gen Z Kitchen Festival: What’s Cooking in the Western Balkans, a dialogue-driven event hosted in Brussels by the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans in partnership with Euractiv.

The one-day festival, moderated by Master of Ceremony, narrative strategist Jeta Bejtullahu, gathered youth activists, Members of the European Parliament, researchers, and civil society leaders to discuss findings from a new regional survey exploring political attitudes among more than 6,000 members of Generation Z. The research reveals a generation that continues to see democracy as the preferred model of governance and European integration as a strategic horizon.

Opening the event, Andi Dobrushi, Director of the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans, explained the strategic rationale for bringing the debate to the European policy capital.

“Brussels is where much of the region’s future is translated into policy, what gets rewarded, what gets tolerated, and what is considered progress.” — Andi Dobrushi. He argued that engaging young voices in this space is essential at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty and democratic fragmentation.

A platform for “eye-to-eye” dialogue

Designed as an interactive forum rather than a conventional policy conference, the festival enabled direct exchanges between young citizens and decision-makers. Participants described the format as essential for bridging institutional perspectives with lived realities.

Serbian youth activist Dorotea Vasić underlined the importance of inclusive dialogue spaces. “Events like this are important because they bring together young activists from the Western Balkans and Members of the European Parliament in the same conversation,” she said, reflecting on the opportunity to articulate regional concerns at the European level.

German MEP Lukas Sieper echoed this sentiment, arguing that youth engagement must translate into tangible political influence. “Don’t just use Gen Z as a token, give them real power,” he noted, calling for pragmatic cooperation across ideological divides to address shared societal priorities such as healthcare, security, and digital transformation.

Disengagement as a call for reform

Presenting the survey insights, lead researcher Lura Pollozhani highlighted a paradox shaping generational political behavior.

“This is not simply disinterest, it is disengagement. Young people want change, but they do not see themselves reflected in formal politics,” she explained, framing the findings as a call to rethink institutional approaches to participation and representation.

Despite this skepticism, democratic commitment remains resilient. Milosh Ristovski, Secretary General of the European Youth Forum, stressed that civic energy among young people should not be underestimated.

“Young people hope. They believe. They participate. The voice of the Western Balkans is very active.” — Milosh Ristovski

Human rights activist Nol Musa emphasized that responsibility also lies with young citizens themselves. “We as a generation need to keep our institutions accountable and also be part of the institutions,” he said, highlighting the importance of engagement in both formal and informal political arenas.

Europe as lived experience

A central intellectual perspective throughout the festival was provided by political scientist Ivan Krastev, who situated generational attitudes within broader democratic transformations unfolding across Europe and beyond.

“Gen Z’s greatest strength lies in its capacity to mobilize, yet deep distrust of politicians and institutions remains a defining challenge. In politics, if you are not ready to trust, you cannot govern.” — Ivan Krastev

Krastev suggested that younger generations increasingly experience Europe not as a distant aspiration but as a tangible reality shaping their daily lives and expectations. “For this generation, Europe is not a dream, it is something they already know, with both its bright and dark sides,” he noted, reflecting on how increased mobility, digital connectivity, and exposure to diverse narratives are reshaping perceptions of integration.

He also warned that uncertainty about technological disruption, geopolitical instability, and climate risks is transforming the political psychology of youth. “What young people call pragmatism today is often a form of survival mode. Democracy needs a credible long-term future, an open horizon where citizens believe their choices matter,” Krastev said, describing the future as an “invisible institution” essential for democratic resilience.

Redefining democratic participation

Beyond data and policy reflections, the festival’s creative format, blending moderated discussions, storytelling, and informal exchanges, underscored a strategic message: Western Balkans youth are not turning away from democracy but are redefining how trust is built within it.

Speakers repeatedly stressed that young people are demanding more responsive governance, stronger institutional accountability, and a clearer European perspective. Their expectations, participants argued, are likely to influence both national reform agendas and the broader trajectory of EU enlargement in the coming years.

By bringing regional voices directly into the European policy space, the Gen Z Kitchen Festival highlighted a generational shift that is both challenging and renewing democratic systems. Conditional trust should not be seen as a sign of disengagement but as an invitation to build more credible, inclusive, and future-oriented political processes across Europe.

A reflective closing: identity, dialogue, and the future

The festival concluded on a symbolic and emotionally resonant note with the performance of the theatre play “Our Son”, staged by the Serbian cultural organization Hartefact. The intimate kitchen-table drama explores generational tensions, identity struggles, and the complexities of acceptance within contemporary societies, themes that closely mirror the dilemmas facing many young people across the Western Balkans today.

Through the story of a family navigating difficult conversations about values, belonging, and the future, the performance offered a human-centered reflection on the broader debates that had unfolded throughout the day. Much like the survey findings and policy discussions, the play illustrated how younger generations are often caught between inherited expectations and the urgency to redefine social and political realities on their own terms.

By closing the event with an artistic narrative rather than a formal policy conclusion, the event reinforced a key message of the Gen Z Kitchen Festival: democratic dialogue is not only shaped in institutional settings but also through cultural expression, personal storytelling, and intergenerational exchange. In this sense, the performance underscored that the future of democracy in the Western Balkans and, more broadly, in Europe will depend as much on empathy and understanding as on political reform.