Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati attended the event organized for the 60th anniversary of Albania’s membership in UNESCO. In his remarks, Minister Bushati focused on Albania’s relation with UNESCO, strengthening of multilateralism, investment in the new generation and reformation of the organization itself.

While during the decades under the communist regime, the UNESCO presence helped Albania fight illiteracy, in an effort to overcome the marked lack of development, with the change of regime, our interaction with the organization centered on the need for support, the country’s integration into the world, change of image, support for freedom of expression, protection and promotion of human rights, etc.

Regarding the importance of preserving and strengthening multilateralism, Bushati said that epochal changes from the second half of the 20th century to date have radically altered the international geopolitics, making the world a safer and more peaceful place. “But it would be illusive if we took things for granted. The growing populist rhetoric in developed societies, the divisive hate speech, the pressure on multilateralism and the tendencies for national contraction call for increased vigilance and impose the need for a renewed, clearer, more demanding  focus and efficient collaboration”, underlined Minister Bushati.

He expressed Albania’s commitment to be on the front line in our efforts to strengthen cooperation between the countries of the region through the promotion, identification and consolidation of the common cultural and spirituality heritage, and cultural diversity.

Bushati emphasized the importance to invest in youth, as the best way for their energies and creativity to be used in facing our future challenges. “Engagement, will, skills and agility of the young generation will be crucial for both Albania and our European path, but also for shaping a region that ultimately lives in peace and prosperity,” said Minister Bushati.

Albania, added Minister Bushati, supports the strategic transformation project, initiated by the Director General, that aims to give the Organization “A renewed role in a completely changed world, which requires ideas, energy, vision, projects and above all, convincing results”.

Over the course of three decades, Albania has become a party to all major UNESCO conventions, has actively participated in discussions on major issues of the organization’s agenda and has succeeded in including in the various UNESCO registers a number landmarks that represent and highlight the indisputable and valuable universal values ​​of our cultural, spiritual, and natural heritage.

Minister of Culture, Mirela Kumbaro, pointed out that still after Albania’s membership into UNESCO 60 years ago, we have not yet solved the problem of peace with ourselves. For more than 30 years, our presence was almost formal, simply having the desire to be in false peace with others. So, everything starts with knowing herself and the other, added the minister.

While Ministers Klosi and Nikolla focused on the importance of the organization’s presence in our country and the important projects that have been undertaken in this framework, be they in environmental or educational policies. Butrint, Berat, Gjirokastra, Iso-polyphony, “Purple Codices of Berat”, Primeval Beech Forest of Gashi and Rajca, Prespa Biosphere Reserve are already part of our cultural and natural passport to be pride of, part of world heritage and other internationally recognized and globally valued records. Another important file under consideration is that of the Ohrid Region.