Leadership and Youth Activism: How Local Governments Drive Transformation
Panel Discussion 2 | Futures Leaders Summit 2025
At the Futures Leaders Summit 2025, Panel Discussion 2 brings local leadership into focus, examining how municipal governments — and mayors in particular — can serve as catalysts for youth activism and community transformation.
Titled “Leadership and Youth Activism: How Local Governments Drive Transformation,” this panel explores the pivotal role local authorities play in shaping the conditions for meaningful youth participation. Recognizing that municipalities are often the closest level of governance to citizens, the discussion highlights how mayors can act as key enablers of youth engagement, civic participation, and policy influence within their communities.
Panelists will address practical strategies through which local governments can strengthen youth involvement in decision-making, improve access to financial and institutional resources, and foster sustainable partnerships between public institutions and young people. Special attention will be given to the mechanisms that empower youth to take part in public life, as well as the challenges they face when attempting to translate grassroots initiatives into lasting community impact.
While activism remains a cornerstone of social progress, youth-led initiatives frequently encounter barriers such as limited funding, insufficient institutional support, and restricted access to decision-making spaces. By bringing together mayors from across Bosnia and Herzegovina, this panel creates a rare opportunity for direct dialogue between young citizens and local decision-makers on how municipalities can build environments that support and sustain civic engagement.
The overarching goal of this discussion is to strengthen trust and cooperation between local authorities and youth, foster a shared vision for youth development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and position mayors as central actors in building inclusive communities that listen to, support, and amplify the voices of young people.
Panelists:
Mayor of Tuzla, Dr. Zijad Lugavić
Mayor of Bijeljina, Ljubiša Petrović
Mayor of Zavidovići, Mr. iur. Erna Merdžić-Smailhodžić
Member of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, Zagorka Grahovac