Dialogue Builds Trust and Delivers Community Solutions in Montenegro

30 July 2025

In Montenegro, community voices often sidelined – including voices from youth, women, Roma, migrants, the elderly – are now helping shape local solutions. Through the joint UN-supported initiative  “Enhancing Citizens’ Trust in Institutions and Building Resilient Communities”, funded by the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund, UNDP, UNICEF, and UNESCO and the Government of Montenegro are working side by side to translate the principles of inclusion and participatory governance into everyday practice, addressing exclusion and building trust.

At the core of the project is a simple idea: that people are more likely to invest in peaceand social cohesion when they can participate in shaping it. “Dialogue” – from the Greek dia (“through”) and logos (“word”), is not just conversations. It is a space for connection, empathy and action.   

Across the country, as part of this initiative, people have been engaging in structured dialogues with local authorities raising concerns, proposing solutions, and co-designing responses that reflect their lived realities. These forums have already led to policy proposals as well as practical, community-driven actions such as empowerment and inclusion of marginalized groups, combating hate speech, preventing peer violence, and creating safer public spaces. Crucially, participants see how their input translates into tangible change, building not only stronger policies but also stronger public trust. The result is more connected, resilient communities grounded in shared values and collective responsibility.

Leadership for the common good

Real peacebuilding begins when people understand their rights, the systems that govern them, and their power to shape both. That’s why the programme places leadership development at its core – focusing especially on women, young people, children, and others whose voices are too often unheard.

UNICEF has helped more than 300 children and adolescents step into civic roles through children’s parliaments, local dialogues and national platforms. Many are emerging as powerful advocates for inclusion and equality. Beyond formal structures, over 46,000 students in Montenegro are now developing key life skills such as empathy, communication, tolerance, and optimism, through a socio-emotional learning  programme rolled out  in 121 schools nationwide.

Impact Snapshot: 

The Socio-Emotional Skills programme has transformed schools across Montenegro into spaces of empathy, trust, and connection, reaching over 46,000 children with values-based learning. Through student-led projects—ranging from art initiatives and workshops to intergenerational activities with families—classroom lessons have grown into a broader movement, strengthening community bonds and fostering a more cohesive society.

UNDP, meanwhile, has trained 60 local activists to become leaders for the common good. Equipped with the tools to confront hate speech, promote civic participation, and advance gender equality, these changemakers are spearheading initiatives that help address the root causes of exclusion and violence.

Dialogue that Builds Trust

UNDP, in cooperation with local self-governments, facilitated local dialogues in towns of Bar, Bijelo Polje, Podgorica, Pljevlja and Ulcinj. More than 430 citizens and civil servants participated leading to over 100 recommendations and 50 ideas, of which 21 community-driven solutions are now being implemented to address challenges like hate speech, peer violence, and social polarization.

The methodology was innovative and inclusive - there were no stages, no podiums, no hierarchy.  Instead, vision building exercises, storytelling, and metaphor-based tools like “anchors and sails of social cohesion” helped participants connect across generations and backgrounds.  

64% of participants were women, 25% were youth, and many were from groups traditionally left out of public discourse such as elderly, Roma and migrants.

"Local dialogue was a turning point in how I see the future. By openly discussing problems-no matter how complex or deep—we are laying the foundation for solving them. I was especially inspired by the idea of unity that transcends nationality and religion. - anonymous representative of local institution, a local dialogue participant.

"For the first time, people were truly visible. They could ask questions and have someone respond-especially the elderly and children. It wasn'tjust about talking; it was about being heard." - Natasa, community dialogue participant from municipality of Pljevlja

Most importantly, 133 municipal representatives sat side by side with citizens, not to lecture, but to listen. Together, they identified root causes of exclusion: (online) hate speech, youth violence, marginalization, economic disparities, environmental degradation, and a growing gap between citizens and their institutions.  

Walking the Talk: From Dialogue to Policy and Action

Each dialogue also helped forge agreements on immediate joint actions. Through the creation of local Social Cohesion Pledges – policy commitments by local self-governments that directly reflect citizens’ concerns. These pledges are then budgeted, made actionable, and supported by UNDP to ensure they can move from promise to practice.   

To sustain momentum, a national dialogue planned for September will elevate local recommendations to the national level, informing Montenegro’s first-ever national Social Cohesion Pledge and related policy reforms.  

To help turn dialogue into long-term change, the programme launched the Social Cohesion Innovation Lab, which supports citizen-led solutions developed in response to local challenges identified through dialogues.

Through the Lab, UNICEF supported 50 adolescents to co-design 10 peacebuilding initiatives, five of which received funding and mentoring.  UNDP facilitated the creation of  24 community initiatives, with 16 now in implementation.

These initiatives tackle issues ranging from countering hate speech, mental health, migrant integration, youth outmigration, and gender inequality, to digital exclusion, and environmental degradation.

Many reinforce the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, empowering women—especially those from marginalized groups—to lead, advocate, and participate in public life, amplifying women's voices in traditionally male-dominated or inaccessible public spheres.

Others advance the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda by enabling young people to co-design solutions that promote resilience, mental health, environmental awareness, and cultural participation in their communities.

Impact Snapshot: 

In Ulcinj, a collaborative process involving local dialogues, a Social Cohesion Innovation Lab, and the development of a Social Cohesion Pledge led to increased trust in local institutions—reflected in the experience of journalist Arjona Resuljani. After raising concerns about public space accessibility during a dialogue session, Arjona co-created a community initiative through the Lab. Her proposals—such as inclusive playgrounds—were quickly supported by the municipality and UNDP, demonstrating how citizen engagement can transform skepticism into trust and collective action 

“After the Local Dialogue and the Lab, we are no longer the same citizens. I now have more trust in my fellow citizens, the institutions and in the common good.” Arjona Resuljani

The Road Ahead: Dialogue Meets Culture and Accountability

Looking forward, UNESCO will help expand the initiative’s reach through work with media and cultural actors—focused on ethical journalism, countering hate speech, and using culture to celebrate diversity. Meanwhile, efforts by UNDP and UNICEF will facilitate deepening the involvement of Parliament, Government and human rights institutions in upholding the principals of inclusive governance and civic trust.  

Together, these efforts continue to build social cohesion through unlocking collective connection and intelligence, empowerment of people and systems and meaningful dialogue that ensure trust, action and accountability, contributing to the sustained peace and development of Montenegro.   

“We always knew we wanted to build something for our community but UPSHIFT (UNICEF methodology used in the Lab) gave us the tools to do so.” A 17-year-old boy in Pljevlja