European Youth Capital 2028: We have a winner!

December 1, 2025

It’s one of Europe’s youngest capitals – gaining capital status after the country’s independence in 2006. It’s in a country negotiating EU accession, a Western Balkan frontrunner, and it’s a city recognised by a strikingly modern Millennium Bridge. Montenegro’s vibrant capital Podgorica has officially been awarded the title of European Youth Capital 2028.

A young capital ready to change course

Podgorica’s ~200,000 residents often describe their city as a place where “everyone knows everyone, or someone who knows someone.” It’s intimate, connected, and community-driven. And that closeness has become the driving force behind its European Youth Capital vision. Because Montenegro is small – around 630,000 people – this title isn’t only for Podgorica’s youth. It’s for all young Montenegrins, with the city aiming to spark a domino effect of good practices nationwide. A strong emphasis is placed on reaching underrepresented youth: from rural areas, Roma communities, LGBTIQ+ young people, and youth with disabilities, to all those who face socioeconomic barriers.

And with Podgorica perfectly placed between the Adriatic Coast and the Dinarides mountain range, natural cross-border connections make it an ideal hub for Balkan youth cooperation.

As Podgorica’s team put it, “Podgorica envisions becoming a youth-centred city that is dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable, where young people actively participate in governance, drive social change, and lead innovation,” and being European Youth Capital 2028 will be “a national moment of unity, showing how young people can lead the country’s European future.”

Investing in the spaces and people who create change

Podgorica’s European Youth Capital journey is all about transforming the city into a place where “Youth [truly] Makes the City.” That means investing in infrastructure, capacity, and long-term support.