Second International Media School Balkans and BRICS+ Opens at RAGUSA Hub in Belgrade

Belgrade, March 12 – The second edition of the Balkan and BRICS+ International Media School officially opened at the RAGUSA Hub, a unique platform bringing together lecturers, participants, and experts from around the world in the fields of media, international relations, and contemporary global challenges.

Organized with the support of the Gorchakov Fund, World Youth Festival and Knowled Hub the school is aimed at young journalists, analysts, and students from the Balkans and BRICS+ countries. Its goal is to foster critical thinking and a deeper understanding of current global processes.

Vladan Grbović, founder and director of RAGUSA NGO, welcomed participants from across the globe, marking the start of the two-day program.

“I am honored to greet eminent lecturers from BRICS+ countries, as well as participants from fifteen nations who recognized the potential of this gathering. Collaboration and networking at this level would not be possible without Professor Katarina Entina, one of the leading Balkan experts, who will be actively participating in our program over the coming days,” said Grbović.

Professor Entina highlighted that her vision of creating a space like RAGUSA Hub dates back to 2005, and emphasized that neither the Hub nor the media school would have been possible without the support of the Gorchakov Fund and other partners

“It may seem unusual to discuss the Balkans and BRICS+ in a city and region that are not part of BRICS+, but it is both logical and natural. Belgrade has historically served as a bridge – not only between Russia and the West, but also between Asia, Africa, and Europe. Today, Serbia continues to build diversified international connections, making such dialogue particularly relevant,” said Entina.

The opening was also attended by Alena Isakova from the Gorchakov Fund, Mikhail Generalov from the Russian Embassy in Belgrade , who donated significant publications to the RAGUSA Hub library, Kirill Kostin, director of the “Diplomacy of Knowledge” organization at the Russian State University for Humanities.

Mikhail Generalov from the Russian Embassy in Belgrade and Vladan Grbović, founder of Ragusa

Ekaterina Entina, Kiril Kostin, Ivan Kulakov and Vladan Grbović

Following the opening in Belgrade, the school continued its program on Divčibare Mountain on March 13–14, where participants engaged in workshops, lectures, and discussions to further develop their knowledge and skills in media and international relations.

The Second International Media School Balkans and BRICS+ at RAGUSA Hub aims to create a dynamic international environment where young professionals can learn, exchange ideas, and engage with global media and policy challenges.