On 2 - 3 August 2023, the Quality Label’s team of experts visited the Ekocentar Radulovacki youth centre in Sremski Karlovci, Serbia to evaluate the fulfilment of the 15 quality criteria of the Quality Label for Youth Centres which the centre has been holding since 2015.

During the evaluation, the expert team was presented with recent initiatives and programmes that have taken place at the centre, as well as several improvements that have been made to the facilities and educational spaces, namely a multifunctional educational room in the garden, a boat used as an outdoor educational venue on the Danube and new energy efficiency installations on the main building.

In the framework of the visit, the experts met with staff and various stakeholders closely involved with the programme of the centre, such as the representative of the Sremski Karlovci Municipality, Stefan Gnip and the representative of the NAPOR network and member of the Advisory Council on Youth, Nedeljka Ivošević.

 Despite experiencing a difficult period following the global Covid-19 pandemic, significant improvements have been made to the Ekocentar since the expert team’s last visit, particularly regarding the development of the facilities and the education programmes on offer. The Ekocentar has become a crucial actor in the social, cultural and environmental life of Sremski Karlovci and beyond.

As a result of these discussions, the Quality Label Expert Team will make its recommendation to the European Steering Committee for Youth (CDEJ) to prolong the Quality Label for Ekocentar Radulovacki, with the final decision to be taken at the next CDEJ meeting on 23 October 2023.

 Fourteen youth centres currently hold the Council of Europe Quality Label for Youth Centres across Europe, including the Ekocentar Radulovacki in Serbia. The centre, located in Sremski Karlovci, first obtained the label in 2015 and promotes activities on environmental protection and youth activism in sustainable development. They also promote initiatives on raising awareness of tolerance, solidarity, social and environmental sustainability and promote voluntary work for children and youth.

 Expert Team:

• Gordana Berjan, Coordinator of the Quality Label for Youth Centres, Youth Department, Council of Europe
• Marcos Andrade, Deputy Director of the European Youth Centre Budapest
• Natalia Chardymova, Expert from the resource pool of the Quality Label Youth Centres’ Programme