From January 1, 2023, Croatia joined the Schengen Area and the Eurozone, enabling free transit to other member countries and opening new economic opportunities. This historic change was celebrated by the Italian minority in Istria, as it allows free movement between Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia without long border queues. However, this new freedom contrasts with the impenetrability of the EU's external borders. To prevent migrants from entering the Schengen Area via the Balkan route, Slovenia had erected barbed wire fences along parts of its border with Croatia, which have now been mostly removed. The external border has shifted to the boundaries with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Croatia is fortifying its barriers to prevent migrant access, amid documented instances of police violence violating EU and international law.

Tommaso Parazzoli, at just 18 years old, has become a world champion in the trio and production categories of Tip-Tap, known in Italy as Tap-Dance. His passion for dance was ignited at the Bernstein School Of Musical Theatre in Bologna, where choreographer Gillian Bruce played a pivotal role. Tommaso now trains independently and in Rome with expert dancers Emanuele and Leonardo D'Angelo, with whom he won the 2022 world championships. He dreams of a solo performance that will change his life.

In Mitrovica, Kosovo, ethnic tensions between Serbs and Albanians persist, symbolized by the divided city connected by a NATO-guarded bridge. Post-1998-99 war, Serbia's non-recognition of Kosovo's independence complicates border movements for Kosovar Albanians. Recent tensions arose from Kosovo's law banning Serbian license plates, but EU mediation has prevented escalation. Local NGOs like Community Building Mitrovica promote integration, exemplified by initiatives like the School of Rock, where youth from both communities unite through music.

The Balkan route, historically significant for migration, has seen changes in both the management of migrant arrivals and local attitudes towards migrants over the past 50 years. In 1973, four migrants from Mali died from cold and hunger near the Italian-Yugoslavian border, and the local community of Sant’Antonio in Bosco, mainly populated by the Slovenian minority, organized their funerals. Today, the area has experienced an increase in migrant numbers and a shift from socialist solidarity to fear and annoyance among locals. The Italian government's practice of pushbacks, returning migrants to Slovenia, has been declared illegitimate by a Rome tribunal. Recent accounts from migrants like Aqil and Juma, who faced pushbacks and hardships on their journey, reflect the ongoing challenges and changes in the region's approach to migration.