On 18 September, the Young European Ambassadors (YEA) from the Western Balkans participated together with other volunteers, the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) in Albania, and the Civil Society Organisation EDEN in the EU Beach Clean-Up event in Durres, Albania. The activity was organised as part of the World Clean-up Day campaign.

As part of the action, YEA, along with other participants, collected over 70 bags of waste and contributed to the clean up of the beaches in Durres. At the opening event, the Head of Political, Economic, and Information Section at the EU Delegation in Tirana, Mr Alexis Hupin, thanked all participants who contributed and supported the Coastal Clean-up Initiative, while highlighting the urgency and significance of keeping our oceans plastic-free.

#EUBeachCleanup  is an ocean awareness and activism campaign organised yearly by the EU in September, featuring events across the world. As part of the campaign, through its global network of EU delegations (“embassies”) and representations in EU member states, the EU reaches out to citizens worldwide, creating awareness about the issue and encouraging people to take care of seas and oceans. The campaign is part of a global UN initiative: Act Now.

The YEA network launched in August 2020 together with 60 change-makers coming from: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The network promotes diversity while sharing a common vision: learning about one another and the European Union, pursuing creative projects, acquiring new skills, organising inspiring events – always guided by the idea that youth activism is the most powerful tool for social change.