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Programme

calendar_today 7 May 2026 (Ministerial segment)

TIME
SESSION
DESCRIPTION
9:00

Arrival, Registration and Welcome Coffee

Media Statements

10:00

Official Opening Ceremony

10:00

Official Opening Ceremony

Keynote Opening Address:
- H.E. Hristijan Mickoski, Prime Minister of North Macedonia

Opening Remarks:
- H.E. Fatmir Limani, Minister of Social Policy, Demography and Youth, North Macedonia
- H.E. Timčo Mucunski, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, North Macedonia
- Pio Smith, Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director (Programme) a.i., UNFPA
- Alain Berset, Council of Europe Secretary General
- Tatiana Molcean, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of UNECE
- Rita Columbia, United Nations Resident Coordinator in North Macedonia

Master of Ceremony:
- Kasia Madera, Journalist and Broadcaster

Moderator:
- Vlatko Gjorchev, National Coordinator for Demography, Youth and Human Resources, North Macedonia

10:40

Keynote Presentation

Dr. Rachel Snow, Global population and public health expert

 

11:00

Group Photo

11:15
Ministerial Panel Discussion 1 (co-host: European Union)

Demographic Trends and Public Policies: From challenge to resilience

Speakers:
- H.E. Natalia Plugaru, Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Moldova
- H.E. Jelena Žarić Kovačević, Minister of Family Care and Demography, Serbia
- Eldor Tulyakov, Executive Director, Development Strategy Centre, Uzbekistan
- Serhii Sobchuk, Director General in the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity, Ukraine
- Tigran Jrbashyan, Partner, Ameria Think Tank
- Öndercan Muti, Deputy Executive Secretary, Population Europe

Moderators:
- Florence Bauer, Regional Director, UNFPA in Eastern Europe & Central Asia
- H.E. Michalis Rokas, Ambassador of the European Union to North Macedonia

12:35

Lunch

14:00

Youth Fertility Aspirations Survey: Preliminary regional findings

Presented by Eduard Mihalas, Regional Adviser on Population and Data, UNFPA in Eastern Europe & Central Asia

14:15
Ministerial Panel Discussion 2 (co-host: OECD)

Empowering People: Human capital, family-friendly policies, healthy & active ageing

Speakers:
- H.E. Mikheil Sarjveladze, Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs, Georgia
- Sevim Sayım Madak, Deputy Minister of Family and Social Services, Türkiye
- Kamchybek Dosmatov, First Deputy Minister of Labour, Social Security and Migration, Kyrgyzstan
- Duška Jurišić, Deputy Minister of Human Rights and Refugees, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Rintaro Mori, Mayor of Takarazuka City, Japan
- Rhea Tariq, Director of Global Impact, HelpAge International

Moderators:
- Mark Pearson, Deputy Director, Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Directorate, OECD
- Klaus Beck, Deputy Regional Director, UNFPA in Eastern Europe & Central Asia

15:40
Ministerial Panel Discussion 3 (co-host: EBRD)

Supporting People in Transition: Labour market, social protection, migration & diaspora policies

Speakers:
- Denada Seferi, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Albania
- Ayaulym Sagynbayeva, Head of the Center for Analysis and Forecasting of Demographic Processes, Kazakhstan
- Mileva Brajušković-Popović, Director General in the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography, Montenegro
- İrem Apaydın, Governing Body Member, European Youth Parliament

Moderators:
- Alex Plekhanov, Director for Transition Impact and Global Economics, EBRD
- Afrodita Shalja, Regional Political and Intergovernmental Adviser, UNFPA in Eastern Europe & Central Asia

16:45

Coffee Break

17:05
Ministerial Panel Discussion 4 (co-host: World Bank)

International and Regional Cooperation for Demographic Resilience

Speakers:
- H.E. Aleksandar Nikoloski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport, North Macedonia
- Zulfiya Abdusamatzoda, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Population, Tajikistan
- Azat Atayev, Deputy Minister of Education, Turkmenistan
- Željka Josić, State Secretary in the Ministry of Demography and Immigration, Croatia
- Sven Iversen, Vice-President, COFACE Families Europe
- Florence Bauer, Regional Director, UNFPA in Eastern Europe & Central Asia

Moderators:
- Indhira Santos, Lead Economist for Human Development, Europe and Central Region, World Bank
- Vlatko Gjorchev, National Coordinator for Demography, Youth and Human Resources, North Macedonia

18:30

Closing Remarks

Presentation of the Chairs’ Synthesis

Speakers:
- Pio Smith, Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director (Programme) a.i., UNFPA
- H.E. Fatmir Limani, Minister of Social Policy, Demography and Youth, North Macedonia

Moderator:
- Kasia Madera, Journalist and Broadcaster

20:00

Reception

Welcoming remarks by H.E. Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, President of North Macedonia

 

calendar_today 8 May 2026 (From policies to actions)

TIME
SESSION
DESCRIPTION
9:30

Opening Remarks

- H.E. Afrim Gashi, President of the Assembly of North Macedonia
- Pio Smith, Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director (Programme) a.i., UNFPA

9:40
Thematic Panel Discussion 1 (co-host: UNDP and UNFPA)

Policies and Systems’ Reforms to Address Demographic Change: Examples from across the world

Speakers:
- H.E. Stefan Andonovski, Minister of Digital Transformation, North Macedonia
- Zulfiya Abdusamatzoda, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection of Population, Tajikistan
- Lazar Petrović, State Secretary in the Ministry for Family Welfare and Demography, Serbia
- Sebastian Sosa, Regional Resident Representative, IMF Regional Office for Western Balkans
- Viet Nga Chu, Programme Manager, HelpAge International
- Fabio Losa, Regional Adviser for Demographic Resilience and Policy, UNFPA in Eastern Europe & Central Asia

Moderators:
- Amira Vejzagić-Ramhorst, Policy Specialist, UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub
- Michael Hermann, Senior Adviser, Economics and Demography, UNFPA in Eastern Europe & Central Asia

10:40

Coffee Break

11:00
Thematic Panel Discussion 2 (co-hosts: UNICEF & WHO)

Policies for Empowering People

Speakers:
- Elena Ivanovska, Secretary of State in Ministry of Education and Science, North Macedonia
- Edmir Kalač, Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography, Montenegro
- Monika Mynarska, Associate Professor, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University & Director of the Families and Generations Lab, SGH Warsaw School of Economics
- Josipa Matošević, IMACO Systemtechnik, HR Department, Psychologist, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Lisa Warth, Director of Population Unit, UNECE

Moderator:
- Pamela Dale, UNICEF Senior Adviser

12:05
Thematic Panel Discussion 3 (co-hosts: ILO & IOM)

Policies for Supporting People in Transition

Speakers:
- Miloš Prica, Ambassador-at-large & Co-chair of the SDG Council, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Shohjahon Yusupov, Head of Division, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Uzbekistan
- Slobodan Trendafilov, Regional Representative of the Federation of Trade Unions, North Macedonia
- Saša Aćić, Regional Representative of Employers Organizations & Director of the Union of Employers of Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Aysel Yüksel, Population and Development Coordinator, UNFPA in Türkiye

Moderators:
- Natasha Simjanoska, National Project Coordinator, International Labour Organization
- Ivona Zakoska Todorovska, DTM Regional Coordinator for Europe, International Organization for
Migration
- Rune Brandrup, Regional Programme Coordinator, UNFPA in Eastern Europe & Central Asia

13:05

Closing Remarks

Speakers
- Florence Bauer, Regional Director, UNFPA in Eastern Europe & Central Asia
- H.E. Fatmir Limani, Minister of Social Policy, Demography and Youth, North Macedonia

13:20

Lunch

14:20

Departure

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