Project Activities

Policy Papers: Combating Disinformation in the Western Balkans –  Young Leaders Perspective

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Sarajevo, OCTOBER 17, 2023

On October 17, 2023, the team of Strategic Analysis Think Tank, in cooperation with Forum for Cooperation and Research from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and seven partners from the Balkans and Visegrad countries, co-organized the National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Sarajevo.

The Western Balkans, as a region historically marked by complex political dynamics, is especially vulnerable to the insidious influence of disinformation. Whether fuelled by geopolitical interests, domestic rivalries, or malicious actors seeking to sow discord, disinformation can have far-reaching consequences. It can undermine trust in institutions, stoke ethnic tensions, and erode the foundations of democracy itself.

The National Symposium on Countering Disinformation aims to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders invested in combating the growing challenge of disinformation in the Western Balkans. This event holds a unique position as it bridges the gap between policy and real-world experiences, creating a space for fruitful discussions and practical solutions.

In the official opening participated Mr. Jan CINGEL, President and Founder of the Strategic Analysis Think Tank.

During the Symposium, the policy papers were authored by five working groups of young experts from the Western Balkans. These working groups consisted of active participants of the workshop on combatting disinformation held in Ohrid in May 2023. The policy papers they’ve produced offered fresh insights into critical topics connected with disinformation that impact the Western Balkans.

The topics which were discussed:

• Unregistered Media as a Tool of Spreading the Disinformations in the Western Balkans: Case Study on Non-Enlargement
• Regional cooperation for tackling the spread of disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Electoral Disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Media Literacy in Education – A Western Balkans Perspective
• Truth in the Age of Disinformation: Investing in Fact-Checking Organizations in the Western Balkans

At the end of the Symposium, there was a Panel Discussion about Hybrid Threats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which focused on the multifaceted challenges posed by hybrid warfare and its impact on the security landscape in Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing valuable insights and strategies for addressing these complex issues.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the resilience of young people from the Western Balkans region, which appears to be vulnerable to the influence of propaganda, disinformation, and hybrid threats that undermine the democratization process in the region.   Through the mobilization and activation of CSOs in the Western Balkans region, we would not only strengthen young people’s critical thinking, but more importantly, we would raise awareness about disinformation online. The project’s impact will be to create a network of active future leaders who will act as multipliers in their communities, thus addressing hybrid threats and disinformation in the Western Balkans.

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Belgrade, OCTOBER 11, 2023

On October 11, 2023, the team of Strategic Analysis Think Tank, in cooperation with The Euro-Atlantic Council of North Macedonia, Atlantic Council of Serbia, and seven partners from the Balkans and Visegrad countries, co-organized the National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Belgrade.

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Belgrade is a part of the project named „Increasing Awareness of the hybrid threats – Strengthening Resilience in the Western Balkans” which aims to increase the capacity of Western Balkan civil society in countering disinformation to strengthen democracy, societies‘ resilience, integration to the EU and socio-economic development by improving their skills and knowledge through discussions with experts with strong pro-transatlantic and European values.

The Western Balkans, as a region historically marked by complex political dynamics, is especially vulnerable to the insidious influence of disinformation. Whether fuelled by geopolitical interests, domestic rivalries, or malicious actors seeking to sow discord, disinformation can have far-reaching consequences. It can undermine trust in institutions, stoke ethnic tensions, and erode the foundations of democracy itself.

The National Symposium on Countering Disinformation aims to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders invested in combating the growing challenge of disinformation in the Western Balkans. This event holds a unique position as it bridges the gap between policy and real-world experiences, creating a space for fruitful discussions and practical solutions.

In the official opening participated Mr. Dino KRCIC, Atlantic Council of Serbia,  Mr. Ilja DJUGUMANOV, Secretary General of the Euro-Atlantic Council of North Macedonia, and Mr. Jan CINGEL, President and Founder of the Strategic Analysis Think Tank.

During the Symposium, the policy papers were authored by five working groups of young experts from the Western Balkans. These working groups consisted of active participants of the workshop on combatting disinformation held in Ohrid in May 2023. The policy papers they’ve produced offered fresh insights into critical topics connected with disinformation that impact the Western Balkans.

The topics which were discussed:

• Unregistered Media as a Tool of Spreading the Disinformations in the Western Balkans: Case Study on Non-Enlargement
• Regional cooperation for tackling the spread of disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Electoral Disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Media Literacy in Education – A Western Balkans Perspective
• Truth in the Age of Disinformation: Investing in Fact-Checking Organizations in the Western Balkans

At the end of the Symposium, there was a Panel Discussion about Hybrid Threats in Serbia, which focused on the multifaceted challenges posed by hybrid warfare and its impact on the security landscape in Serbia, providing valuable insights and strategies for addressing these complex issues.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the resilience of young people from the Western Balkans region, which appears to be vulnerable to the influence of propaganda, disinformation, and hybrid threats that undermine the democratization process in the region.   Through the mobilization and activation of CSOs in the Western Balkans region, we would not only strengthen the critical thinking of young people, but more importantly, we would raise awareness about disinformation online. The impact of the project will be to create a network of active future leaders who will act as multipliers in their communities, thus addressing hybrid threats and disinformation in the Western Balkans.

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Budva, OCTOBER 7, 2023

On October 7, 2023, the team of Strategic Analysis Think Tank, in cooperation with The Euro-Atlantic Council of North Macedonia and the Atlantic Council of Montenegro and seven partners from the Balkans and Visegrad countries, co-organized the National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Budva.

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Budva is a part of the project named „Increasing Awareness of the hybrid threats – Strengthening Resilience in the Western Balkans” which aims to increase the capacity of Western Balkan civil society in countering disinformation to strengthen democracy, societies‘ resilience, integration to the EU and socio-economic development by improving their skills and knowledge through discussions with experts with strong pro-transatlantic and European values.

The Western Balkans, as a region historically marked by complex political dynamics, is especially vulnerable to the insidious influence of disinformation. Whether fuelled by geopolitical interests, domestic rivalries, or malicious actors seeking to sow discord, disinformation can have far-reaching consequences. It can undermine trust in institutions, stoke ethnic tensions, and erode the foundations of democracy itself.

The National Symposium on Countering Disinformation aims to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders invested in combating the growing challenge of disinformation in the Western Balkans. This event holds a unique position as it bridges the gap between policy and real-world experiences, creating a space for fruitful discussions and practical solutions.

In the official opening participated Mrs. Azra KARASTANOVIĆ,  Executive Director of the Atlantic Council of Montenegro, Mr. Ilja DJUGUMANOV, Secretary General of the Euro-Atlantic Council of North Macedonia, and Mr. Jan CINGEL, President and Founder of the Strategic Analysis Think Tank.

During the Symposium, the policy papers were authored by five working groups of young experts from the Western Balkans. These working groups consisted of active participants of the workshop on combatting disinformation held in Ohrid in May 2023. The policy papers they’ve produced offered fresh insights into critical topics connected with disinformation that impact the Western Balkans.

The topics which were discussed:

• Unregistered Media as a Tool of Spreading the Disinformations in the Western Balkans: Case Study on Non-Enlargement
• Regional cooperation for tackling the spread of disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Electoral Disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Media Literacy in Education – A Western Balkans Perspective
• Truth in the Age of Disinformation: Investing in Fact-Checking Organizations in the Western Balkans

At the end of the Symposium, there was a Panel Discussion about Hybrid Threats in Montenegro, which focused on the multifaceted challenges posed by hybrid warfare and its impact on the security landscape in Montenegro, providing valuable insights and strategies for addressing these complex issues.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the resilience of young people from the Western Balkans region, which appears to be vulnerable to the influence of propaganda, disinformation, and hybrid threats that undermine the democratization process in the region. Through the mobilization and activation of CSOs in the Western Balkans region, we would not only strengthen young people’s critical thinking, but more importantly, we would raise awareness about disinformation online. The impact of the project will be to create a network of active future leaders who will act as multipliers in their communities, thus addressing hybrid threats and disinformation in the Western Balkans.

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Tirana, OCTOBER 5, 2023

On October 5, 2023, the team of Strategic Analysis Think Tank, in cooperation with The Euro-Atlantic Council of North Macedonia and PERSPEKTIVA and seven partners from the Balkans and Visegrad countries, co-organized the National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Tirana.

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Tirana is a part of the project named „Increasing Awareness of the hybrid threats – Strengthening Resilience in the Western Balkans” which aims to increase the capacity of Western Balkan civil society in countering disinformation to strengthen democracy, societies‘ resilience, integration to the EU and socio-economic development by improving their skills and knowledge through discussions with experts with strong pro-transatlantic and European values.

The Western Balkans, as a region historically marked by complex political dynamics, is especially vulnerable to the insidious influence of disinformation. Whether fuelled by geopolitical interests, domestic rivalries, or malicious actors seeking to sow discord, disinformation can have far-reaching consequences. It can undermine trust in institutions, stoke ethnic tensions, and erode the foundations of democracy itself.

The National Symposium on Countering Disinformation aims to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders invested in combating the growing challenge of disinformation in the Western Balkans. This event holds a unique position as it bridges the gap between policy and real-world experiences, creating a space for fruitful discussions and practical solutions.

In the official opening participated Mr. Luis Bekteshi, Executive Director, Perspektiva, and  Mr. Jan CINGEL, President and Founder of the Strategic Analysis Think Tank.

During the Symposium, the policy papers were authored by five working groups of young experts from the Western Balkans. These working groups consisted of active participants of the workshop on combatting disinformation held in Ohrid in May 2023. The policy papers they’ve produced offered fresh insights into critical topics connected with disinformation that impact the Western Balkans.

The topics which were discussed:

• Unregistered Media as a Tool of Spreading the Disinformations in the Western Balkans: Case Study on Non-Enlargement
• Regional cooperation for tackling the spread of disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Electoral Disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Media Literacy in Education – A Western Balkans Perspective
• Truth in the Age of Disinformation: Investing in Fact-Checking Organizations in the Western Balkans

At the end of the Symposium, there was a Panel Discussion about Hybrid Threats in Albania, which focused on the multifaceted challenges posed by hybrid warfare and its impact on the security landscape in Albania, providing valuable insights and strategies for addressing these complex issues.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the resilience of young people from the Western Balkans region, which appears to be vulnerable to the influence of propaganda, disinformation, and hybrid threats that undermine the democratization process in the region.   Through the mobilization and activation of CSOs in the Western Balkans region, we would not only strengthen the critical thinking of young people, but more importantly, we would raise awareness about disinformation online. The impact of the project will be to create a network of active future leaders who will act as multipliers in their communities, thus addressing hybrid threats and disinformation in the Western Balkans.

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Prishtina, OCTOBER 4, 2023

On October 4, 2023, the team of Strategic Analysis Think Tank, in cooperation with Kosovar Institute for Policy and the Euro-Atlantic Council of North Macedonia and seven partners from the Balkans and Visegrad countries, co-organized the National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Prishtina.

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Prishtina is a part of the project named „Increasing Awareness of the hybrid threats – Strengthening Resilience in the Western Balkans” which aims to increase the capacity of Western Balkan civil society in countering disinformation to strengthen democracy, societies‘ resilience, integration to the EU and socio-economic development by improving their skills and knowledge through discussions with experts with strong pro-transatlantic and European values.

The Western Balkans, as a region historically marked by complex political dynamics, is especially vulnerable to the insidious influence of disinformation. Whether fuelled by geopolitical interests, domestic rivalries, or malicious actors seeking to sow discord, disinformation can have far-reaching consequences. It can undermine trust in institutions, stoke ethnic tensions, and erode the foundations of democracy itself.

The National Symposium on Countering Disinformation aims to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders invested in combating the growing challenge of disinformation in the Western Balkans. This event holds a unique position as it bridges the gap between policy and real-world experiences, creating a space for fruitful discussions and practical solutions.

In the official opening participated Mr. Lulzim PECI, Founder and Executive Director of KIPRED,  and Mr. Jan CINGEL, President and Founder of the Strategic Analysis Think Tank.

During the Symposium, the policy papers were authored by five working groups of young experts from the Western Balkans. These working groups consisted of active participants of the workshop on combatting disinformation held in Ohrid in May 2023. The policy papers they’ve produced offered fresh insights into critical topics connected with disinformation that impact the Western Balkans.

The topics that were discussed:

• Unregistered Media as a Tool of Spreading the Disinformations in the Western Balkans: Case Study on Non-Enlargement
• Regional cooperation for tackling the spread of disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Electoral Disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Media Literacy in Education – A Western Balkans Perspective
• Truth in the Age of Disinformation: Investing in Fact-Checking Organizations in the Western Balkans

At the end of the Symposium, there was a Panel Discussion about Hybrid Threats in Kosovo, which focused on the multifaceted challenges posed by hybrid warfare and its impact on the security landscape in Kosovo, providing valuable insights and strategies for addressing these complex issues.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the resilience of young people from the Western Balkans region, which appears to be vulnerable to the influence of propaganda, disinformation, and hybrid threats that undermine the democratization process in the region. Through the mobilization and activation of CSOs in the Western Balkans region, we would not only strengthen the critical thinking of young people, but more importantly, we would raise awareness about disinformation online. The impact of the project will be to create a network of active future leaders who will act as multipliers in their communities, thus addressing hybrid threats and disinformation in the Western Balkans.

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Skopje, OCTOBER 3, 2023

On October 3, 2023, the team of Strategic Analysis Think Tank, in cooperation with The Euro-Atlantic Council of North Macedonia and eight partners from the Balkans and Visegrad countries, co-organized the National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Skopje.

National Symposium on Countering Disinformation in Skopje is a part of the project named „Increasing Awareness of the hybrid threats – Strengthening Resilience in the Western Balkans” which aims to increase the capacity of Western Balkan civil society in countering disinformation to strengthen democracy, societies‘ resilience, integration to the EU and socio-economic development by improving their skills and knowledge through discussions with experts with strong pro-transatlantic and European values.

The Western Balkans, as a region historically marked by complex political dynamics, is especially vulnerable to the insidious influence of disinformation. Whether fuelled by geopolitical interests, domestic rivalries, or malicious actors seeking to sow discord, disinformation can have far-reaching consequences. It can undermine trust in institutions, stoke ethnic tensions, and erode the foundations of democracy itself.

The National Symposium on Countering Disinformation aims to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders invested in combating the growing challenge of disinformation in the Western Balkans. This event holds a unique position as it bridges the gap between policy and real-world experiences, creating a space for fruitful discussions and practical solutions.

In the official opening participated Mr. Filip TOSEVSKI, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia,  Mr. Ilja DJUGUMANOV, Secretary General of the Euro-Atlantic Council of North Macedonia, and Mr. Jan CINGEL, President and Founder of the Strategic Analysis Think Tank.

During the Symposium, the policy papers were authored by five working groups of young experts from the Western Balkans. These working groups consisted of active participants of the workshop on combatting disinformation held in Ohrid in May 2023. The policy papers they’ve produced offered fresh insights into critical topics connected with disinformation that impact the Western Balkans.

The topics which were discussed:

• Unregistered Media as a Tool of Spreading the Disinformations in the Western Balkans: Case Study on Non-Enlargement
• Regional cooperation for tackling the spread of disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Electoral Disinformation in the Western Balkans
• Media Literacy in Education – A Western Balkans Perspective
• Truth in the Age of Disinformation: Investing in Fact-Checking Organizations in the Western Balkans

At the end of the Symposium, there was a Panel Discussion about Hybrid Threats in North Macedonia, which focused on the multifaceted challenges posed by hybrid warfare and its impact on the security landscape in North Macedonia, providing valuable insights and strategies for addressing these complex issues.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the resilience of young people from the Western Balkans region, which appears to be vulnerable to the influence of propaganda, disinformation, and hybrid threats that undermine the democratization process in the region.   Through the mobilization and activation of CSOs in the Western Balkans region, we would not only strengthen the critical thinking of young people, but more importantly, we would raise awareness about disinformation online. The impact of the project will be to create a network of active future leaders who will act as multipliers in their communities, thus addressing hybrid threats and disinformation in the Western Balkans.

Regional resilience-building Workshop: May 5 – May 8, 2023, Ohrid, North Macedonia

From the 5th of May until the 8th of May, 2023, the Strategic Analysis Think Tank team cooperates with The Euro-Atlantic Council of North Macedonia and nine partners from the Balkan and Visegrad countries, co-organized the Regional Resilience – Building Workshop in Ohrid, North Macedonia.

The first regional resilience-building workshop taught NGO/CSO Young leaders how to analyze the issues of particular WB6 countries and how to recognize available data which are valuable and reliable. This training also taught participants to prepare short, informative, and up-to-date analyses using reliable and verified data. The outcome will be participants with skills that allow them to distinguish between sources that bring unbiased and fact-based information from fake news and disinformation.

In the official opening participated Ms. Slavjanka PETROVSKA, Minister of Defence of the Republic of North Macedonia, Mr. Filip TOSEVSKI, State Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia and Mr. Ismet RAMADANI, President of ATA North Macedonia.

During the first day of the workshop, the following topics were covered by each of our partners from WB and also from the V4 region:

• Hybrid Threats in the Western Balkan Context, Jan Cingel, Strategic Analysis
• A Case Study of Hybrid Threats: Russia’s Incomparable Comparisons of Kosovo’s Independence with the Aggression in Ukraine, Lulzim Peci, Kosovar Institute for Policy
• Strategic communication and importance of societal resilience in countering disinformation – the experience of Czechia,  Pavel Havlicek, Association for International Affairs
• Building resilience to disinformation practices in post-Covid environment, Konrad Pawlowski, Institute of Central Europe
• Building resilience to disinformation practices – the experience of Hungary, Dorka Takácsy, Center for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Democracy
• Building resilience in the era of hybrid threats and critical infrastructure protection, Prof. Vesna Popovska, Vision University

During the second day of the workshop, the following topics were covered by each of our partners from WB and also from the V4 region:

• Social media and disinformation: How to stay resilient, Milan Jovanovic, Atlantic Council Montenegro
• Political warfare: the patterns of the news containing disinformation, Dino Krcic, Atlantic Council Serbia
• The importance of media independence from the influence of political, religious, and other subjects of power, Juxhina Gjoni, YATA Albania
• Disinformation as a destabilizer of security in the Western Balkan region, Hamza Karcic, Forum for Cooperation and Research
• Public hate speech: State-sponsored propaganda and hate speech in Central Europe, Alexandra Tóthová, Strategic Analysis
• Propaganda and disinformation: Serbia between Russia and the West, Ivana Petronijević Terzić, Demostat Serbia
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a revolutionary tool for countering disinformation and shaping public opinion with a focus on Serbia, Tamara Bajcic, Atlantic Council Serbia

On the third and last day of the workshop, the participants were selected to the mixed working groups with their mentors and issued certificates.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the resilience of young people from the Western Balkans region, which appears to be vulnerable to the influence of propaganda, disinformation, and hybrid threats that undermine the democratization process in the region.   Through the mobilization and activation of CSOs in the Western Balkans region, we would not only strengthen the critical thinking of young people, but more importantly, we would raise awareness about disinformation in the online space. The impact of the project will be to create a network of active future leaders who will act as multipliers in their communities, thus addressing hybrid threats and disinformation in the Western Balkans.

Kick-off Coordination Meeting, January 25, 2023

The official kick-off coordination meeting of participating organizations was organized on January 25, 2023, via video conference with the aim of fine-tuning and approving the project timeline and selection criteria for participants and team coordinators.