First Regional Diaspora Forum, a regional awareness-raising event designed to promote the importance of diaspora, is to be held on 24 February 2022 in Belgrade in hybrid mode. 

The forum is a part of a Regional Diaspora Knowledge Transfer Initiative introduced in 2021 under the “Regional Innovation Area” of the Common Regional Market Action Plan (2021-2024). A Regional Diaspora Knowledge Transfer Initiative aims to identify and mobilise the diaspora’s knowledge, skills and networks of contacts to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, assist efforts in attracting foreign direct investments, and boost economic recovery in the post-pandemic era.

The Forum will present several diaspora success stories from the Western Balkans and open discussions on salient topics such as diaspora knowledge transfer, the role of scientific diaspora and brain circulation, and the importance of diaspora as a hidden driver for the region’s economic growth. The Forum will offer conclusions and recommended policy measures.