We live in a world in which politics and economy, security and communications function quite differently. In such a world, we need leaders able to make decisions, said the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, at the opening of the two-day Conference for Young Leaders titled "Challenges and Opportunities for the Balkan Leadership Today" in Ohrid.

According to President Ivanov, we should be glad that more people are leaning to the schools that provide planetary significance, especially climate change, economy, politics and security.

"Be creative and come up with innovative ideas. Do not succumb to the dominant schools that will make you bare consumers, consumers of ideas, goods and of someone else's thoughts," President Ivanov said to the Conference participants.

Participants of the Conference for Young Leaders titled "Challenges and Opportunities for the Balkan Leadership Today" are representatives of the five generations of the School for Young Leaders, which is organized every year upon the initiative of President Ivanov since 2010.

At the opening of the Conference, the participants heard the speeches of the former President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr. Georgi Parvanov, and of the former President of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Bamir Topi.

"I think that there should be communication between young people from both countries, because if you create such a climate, it will be much easier for you when one of you one day will be the president, prime minister, mayor, and then the future of our two countries will look brighter", the former Bulgarian President Parvanov said.

"I am here today as a former president, but also as a strong, free voice, a voice I believe will have an impact, and I believe with all our efforts, of Albania, Macedonia, Serbia and of the other countries in the region, we should have one thing in common, and that thing in common is, of course, the European Union," the former Albanian President Topi said.

Within the two-day Conference for Young Leaders titled "Challenges and Opportunities for the Balkan Leadership Today", lectures will be delivered by prof. Dragan Stefanovic and Mr. Muhamed Mesic, and a debate will be organized on "ISLAA's Contribution to the Leadership of the Next Decade".

So far, the School for Young Leaders has been attended by around 200 young people with different academic and professional focus. Participants of previous schools are organized in the Alumni Association – ISLAA, registered as a separate association, which through organization of seminars, panel discussions, lectures, meetings with ambassadors, participation in youth events, furthers the development of knowledge and skills of the participants in the School.