For the fifth year in a row, the Civic Initiative Save Sinjajevina organized an educational and recreational camp on Sinjajevina. This year’s edition, titled “Youth for Sinja(je)vina,” was dedicated to young people and their connection with nature, tradition, and activism.

The camp gathered around 30 permanent participants, while during the day the number of attendees grew to as many as 50, creating a dynamic and diverse community of mountain enthusiasts.

In addition to rich traditional cuisine, the highlights of the camp were:

• Visits to katuns and the mountain huts of women (planinke) who spend summers on Sinjajevina,

• Stories about traditional building methods and life in past times,

• Learning about the natural wealth of the mountain.

This year, the camp carried special symbolism due to the cancellation of the decision to establish a military training ground on Sinjajevina. For this reason, July 12 and the traditional Katun Assembly for Petrovdan were marked with additional pride and joy.

The atmosphere was further enriched by children from the Cultural and Artistic Society Vesna from Mojkovac, who, with their costumes, dance, and songs, reminded everyone of heritage and warmed the hearts of all present.

The camp was opened by the Minister of Ecology, Damjan Čulafić, who announced that Sinjajevina will become a Nature Park—one of the key goals of our organization. This would ensure long-term protection of the katuns, the mountain ecosystem, and the freshwater sources originating on Sinjajevina.

Workshops were diverse, and one of the most notable was led by Stanija “Cana” Braunović, dedicated to the medicinal plants of Sinjajevina. According to research, Sinjajevina is home to about 1,300 species and subspecies of vascular plants, including:

• 56 endemics of the Balkan Peninsula,

• 40 species with national protection status,

• 18 species under the CITES convention,

• 2 taxa under the EU Habitats Directive,

• 1 under the Bern Convention.

Participants also had the opportunity to hear a retrospective of the organization’s work over the past seven years, through an overview of:

• protests,

• public campaigns,

• international advocacy,

• petition signing,

• camps and clean-up actions,

• participation in public hearings.

Topics also included ecology and composting, comparing traditional and modern practices, as well as discussions on youth in rural and urban areas—their similarities, differences, and challenges.

The camp was held on the Margita Plateau (1,600 m a.s.l.), with the support of the International Land Coalition (ILC), which has supported us at the international level for the past three years. ILC is an organization dedicated to the protection of land rights, directly connected to our mission of preserving Sinjajevina.

This year’s camp “Youth for Sinja(je)vina” once again confirmed that Sinjajevina is not only a natural treasure but also a place where generations, tradition, and modern activism come together. We successfully connected young people with the mountain, encouraged them to reflect on sustainability and resource conservation, and continued our struggle for the permanent protection of this unique area.