Third partner meeting, Loznica, Serbia

On May 14 and 15, 2025, the third international WIN project meeting took place in the spa complex Kur-salon in Banja Koviljača, Loznica, Serbia. Hosted by the Serbian partner Association of Business Women in Serbia (PP9), the event gathered 37 representatives from all partner and associated strategic partner organizations. 

Day One: From a Study Visit to Project Highlights

The meeting began with a study visit to Tršić, an ethno-tourism destination, where participants explored the region’s cultural and tourism potential. The tour included a walk through the village, a visit to the house of Vuk Karadžić, and a short stop at the former “Viskoza” industrial site, reflecting on Loznica’s industrial heritage.

At the Kur-salon, official welcome speeches were delivered by representatives of the City of Loznica and the Special Hospital for Rehabilitation. This was followed by presentations of key project outcomes. Dr. Jani Kozina (LP ZRC SAZU) presented the comparative study on women’s position in the labour market across the pilot regions (D.1.1.2), while István Hegedűs (PP6 CTRIA) introduced the upcoming Catalogue of Good Practices (D.1.3.3).

Lachezar Afrikanov (PP10 NMS) shared the progress on developing and testing social innovations across partner regions, with a strong focus on empowering women, promoting entrepreneurship, and building inclusive support networks. Among the highlights was the presentation of the Women’s Ethno Hub in Loznica – a local pilot initiative aimed at helping women of all ages access skills training and tourism-related economic opportunities.

The afternoon was rich with additional presentations from partners highlighting their local initiatives, such as youth-oriented career fairs in Slovenia, women's entrepreneurship training in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and awareness-raising campaigns across the regions.

Further sessions addressed policy recommendations, communication strategies, and the preparation of personal stories from women involved in the project. Anika Kolenc (PP2 PiNA), the new communications manager, presented updates on the awareness-raising campaign and emphasized the importance of maintaining an active online presence.

The day concluded with a presentation on financial and administrative management by Petra Rus (LP ZRC SAZU), who praised the project’s financial implementation and outlined upcoming deadlines, including the next reporting period and the First Year Review meeting on May 28, 2025.

Day Two: Inspiring Discussions and Collaborative Planning

The second day featured a roundtable with successful women entrepreneurs from Loznica, who shared insights into overcoming barriers and building sustainable businesses. This was followed by a World Café-style transnational workshop, where partners exchanged ideas on scaling up social innovations and improving women’s labour market participation.

The third WIN partners' meeting provided valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange, joint planning, and mutual inspiration. Partners reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing the position of women in peripheral industrial regions and look forward to continuing this important work at the next meeting, which will take place in Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on October 21–22, 2025.