Sec. 9. Young Balkan Leaders Initiative
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It is the sense of Congress that regular people-to-people exchange programs that bring religious leaders, journalists, civil society members, politicians, and other individuals from the Western Balkans to the United States will strengthen existing relationships and advance United States interests and shared values in the Western Balkans region. The Department of State, through BOLD, a leadership program for young leaders in certain Western Balkans countries, plays an important role to develop young leaders in improving civic engagement and economic development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro.
BOLD should be expanded, subject to the availability of appropriations, to the entire Western Balkans region. The Secretary of State should further develop and implement BOLD, which shall hereafter be known as the Young Balkan Leaders Initiative , to promote educational and professional development for young adult leaders and professionals in the Western Balkans who have demonstrated a passion to contribute to the continued development of the Western Balkans region. The goals of the Young Balkan Leaders Initiative shall be— to further build the capacity of young Balkan leaders in the Western Balkans in the areas of business and information technology, cybersecurity and digitization, agriculture, civic engagement, and public administration; to support young Balkan leaders by offering professional development, training, and networking opportunities, particularly in the areas of leadership, innovation, civic engagement, elections, human rights, entrepreneurship, good governance, public administration, and journalism; to support young political, parliamentary, and civic Balkan leaders in collaboration on regional initiatives related to good governance, environmental protection, government ethics, and minority inclusion; to provide increased economic and technical assistance to young Balkan leaders to promote economic growth and strengthen ties between businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs in the United States and in Western Balkans countries; to tailor such assistance to advance the particular objectives of each United States mission in the Western Balkans within the framework outlined in this subsection; and to secure funding for such assistance from existing funds available to each United States Mission in the Western Balkans.
Under the Young Balkan Leaders Initiative, the Secretary of State shall award fellowships to young leaders from the Western Balkans who— are between 18 and 35 years of age; have demonstrated strong capabilities in entrepreneurship, innovation, public service, and leadership; have had a positive impact in their communities, organizations, or institutions, including by promoting cross-regional and multiethnic cooperation; and represent a cross-section of geographic, gender, political, and cultural diversity.
Under the Young Balkan Leaders Initiative, the Secretary of State shall take advantage of existing and future public diplomacy facilities (commonly known as American Spaces ) to hire staff and develop programming for the establishment of a flagship public engagement and leadership center in the Western Balkans that seeks— to counter disinformation and malign influence; to promote cross-cultural engagement; to provide training for young leaders from Western Balkans countries described in subsection (e); to harmonize the efforts of existing venues throughout Western Balkans countries established by the Office of American Spaces; and to annually bring together participants from the Young Balkans Leaders Initiative to provide platforms for regional networking.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall provide a briefing to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the status of exchange programs involving the Western Balkans region. The briefing required under paragraph
(1)shall— assess the factors constraining the number and frequency of participants from Western Balkans countries in the International Visitor Leadership Program of the Department of State; identify the resources that are necessary to address the factors described in subparagraph (A); and describe a strategy for connecting alumni and participants of professional development exchange programs of the Department of State in the Western Balkans with alumni and participants from other countries in Europe, to enhance inter-region and intra-region people-to-people ties.