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Author: WeBalkans

Skopje recommended to become the European Capital of Culture 2028

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After a two-day meeting in Brussels, the chairperson of the European Capitals of Culture Expert panel announced on 20 September that the city of Skopje (North Macedonia) has been recommended for the European Capital of Culture 2028 title in an EFTA/EEA country, candidate country or potential candidate to EU membership.

 

In accordance with the Decision of the European Parliament and the Council, which governs the European Capitals of Culture Union action, there will be three European Capitals of Culture in 2028. One in France, one in Czech Republic and one in an EFTA/EEA country, candidate country or potential candidate to EU membership participating in the current Creative Europe programme.

 

Regarding the competition between cities in EFTA/EEA countries, candidate countries and potential candidates, the Commission invited applications from cities in December 2021. The two cities of Budva (Montenegro) and Skopje (North Macedonia) were pre-selected on 16 December 2022. They had until 28 August 2023 to complete their applications and were then invited to a final selection meeting in Brussels on 19 September. A panel of 10 independent experts appointed by EU institutions and bodies (European Parliament, Council, Commission and Committee of the Regions) examined the applications.

 

Started in 1985, European Capitals of Culture have developed into one of the most ambitious cultural projects in Europe and one of the EU’s most appreciated activities.

Reviving Albania’s Literary Legacy

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EU-Funded advanced technology open doors to rich literary treasures in Albania.

The “Sotir Kolea” Center in Tirana bears the name of a renowned figure in Albanian culture. Serving as the director of the National Library of Albania from 1928 to 1937, he played a pivotal role in shaping the foundations of librarianship in Albania. Furthermore, he significantly expanded the library’s collections with Albanological materials. Situated within a historically significant edifice, the “Sotir Kolea” Center holds dual importance. In 1912, following the declaration of independence in Vlorë, it was here that the Albanian flag was hoisted for the first time in Tirana. Subsequently, in 1920, this venue served as the setting for the establishment of Tirana as the new capital and the formation of the inaugural government following the Congress of Lushnjë.

 

Over the years, the center functioned as an “Annex” of the National Library, housing hundreds of thousands of books, many of which had been confiscated from individuals and institutions during the communist era in Albania. Today, following extensive renovations, this rich literary treasure trove is finally accessible to the public.

“These are books that have never been accessible to the public. They have been kept under different conditions, but now they are made available to readers. It’s a significant event, very important for everyone.”

The Sotir Kolea Center, formerly known as an annex of the National Library, suffered extensive damage during the earthquake in 2019. Thanks to the support of the Albanian government and UNOPS through the EU-funded EU4 Culture project, the library has been revitalized. The Albanian National Library Fund now boasts cutting-edge equipment worth €668,922, encompassing servers, book and barcode scanners, laptops, tablets, specialized book dust and vacuum cleaners, sanitizers, dehumidification chambers, as well as book cleaning and deacidification machines. This technology will play a pivotal role in preserving Albania’s rich culture and heritage while making books accessible online.

Earlier this summer, the library was officially reopened, and it received distinguished visitors, including H.E. Minister of Culture Ms. Elva Margariti, H.E. the EU Ambassador to Albania Ms. Christiane Hohmann, UNOPS Albania Country Manager Ms. Pamela Lama, along with other experts in the field and members of the media. National Library Director Mr. Piro Misha warmly welcomed them and conducted a tour of the library’s remarkable rooms, showcasing the new equipment and elucidating its functionalities for the guests and media representatives. Director Misha remarked, “These are books that have never been accessible to the public. They have been kept under different conditions, but now they are made available to readers. It’s a significant event, very important for everyone.”

“This equipment will guarantee the utmost standards in book preservation and restoration, enhance efficiency by enabling the treatment of a greater volume of books in a shorter timeframe, and broaden access to collections for researchers, scholars, and the general public. Furthermore, it sets a commendable precedent for other libraries and archives nationwide.”

About the project

The EU4Culture project is funded by the European Union (EU) and is implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in close partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Albania. It focuses on renovation and revitalization of major cultural heritage sites damaged by the earthquake and represents one of the largest cultural heritage programmes funded by the European Union with a total budget of € 40 million.

Pamela Lama, UNOPS Albania Country Manager, conveyed her appreciation to the European Delegation to Albania for selecting UNOPS as a reliable partner in executing this project, and she commended the Ministry of Culture for their productive cooperation. She stated, “This equipment will guarantee the utmost standards in book preservation and restoration, enhance efficiency by enabling the treatment of a greater volume of books in a shorter timeframe, and broaden access to collections for researchers, scholars, and the general public. Furthermore, it sets a commendable precedent for other libraries and archives nationwide,” as emphasised by Ms. Lama.

EU Beach Clean Up of Lake Prespa

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On Sunday, 17 September 2023, at 12.00h on Lake Prespa, the Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union Ben Nupnau and the Mayor of Resen Jovan Tozievski, kicked off the first #EUBeachCleanup organised in North Macedonia. The clean up action is an annual global initiative and this year will be organised at Slivnica Beach through the EU-funded “We Balkans” network of Young European Ambassadors.

 

The EU Beach Clean Up initiative takes place globally every 3rd week of September. The #EUBeachCleanup is a campaign organised by the European Commission with EEAS and the United Nations. It takes place all type coasts, with the ultimate aim of raising awareness about to the challenges of marine littering and plastic waste.

 

It is estimated that up to 37 million tonnes of plastic waste will reach the ocean annually by 2040. Plastic pollution is a massive problem nowadays, but even small actions can make a big difference. Every bottle, every straw, every piece of trash that is cleaned up can lead to a cleaner, healthier planet.

 

This year, the coast of Prespa Lake was cleaned by 20 Young European Ambassadors from the Western Balkans who joined their Macedonian peers to clean up Slivnica Beach. This is the 3rd year that Young European Ambassadors from the region participate in the event, organised through the EU-funded “We Balkans” project. This community activity, supported by the Delegation of the European Union, Europe House, as well as the Municipality of Resen will encourage people to rid the beaches of Prespa Lake of the garbage that is plaguing them.

YEA co-organise event on the profession of journalism

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The Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) co-organised an event with Europe House in Podgorica, Montenegro, on journalism.

 

A panel discussion under the event “Journalism: Profession of the future or profession without the future” took place during International Literacy Day. It involved prominent Montenegrin media representatives, including the editor and presenter of the TV Vijesti morning show, Bojana Bojović Golijanin, executive director of the NGO 35mm Darko Ivanović and journalist and editor of the portal RTCG Marko Vešović.

 

In the interaction with the audience, they answered questions about the position of journalists in Montenegro, the impact of digitisation on the media, and the challenges they face every day.

 

All panellists agree that love for work is the most essential asset for success, along with hard work, effort and sacrifice. After the first part of the panel, questions from the audience followed, and then an informal part, catering and informal talking.

62 new VET projects selected under the 2023 capacity building call

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Erasmus+ is not just about student exchanges. It also includes many other areas of funding, including capacity building in the field of Vocational Education and Training (CBVET). In 2023, 62 new VET projects were selected under the 2023 ERASMUS + capacity building call. CBVET aims at enhancing the quality, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET systems in the above regions. It does this by reinforcing the capacities of VET staff and teachers and by strengthening the link between VET providers and the labour market.

 

The pivotal role of VET organisations contributes to other critical Erasmus+ and EU priorities, particularly those related to the green transition and digital transformation. More than €22 million has been allocated to these 62 projects, selected from 145 eligible project proposals.

 

Examples of selected projects in 2023 include enhancing nurses’ digital skills in the Western Balkans.

 

Building the capacity of VET providers in preserving and restoring cultural heritage sites in the Neighbourhood East, Improving the digital skills of workers in the footwear and leather industry in the South Mediterranean and similar

 

The Erasmus+ programme encourages cooperation between educational institutions in 33 countries (27 EU countries and six countries associated to the programme) and those in the Western Balkans, Neighbourhood East, Africa and the Southern Mediterranean, Latin America and the Caribbean.

“United in diversity” – EU at Belgrade Pride

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Under the slogans #EUForAll and “United in diversity”, members of the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia and the embassies of the member states participated in the Pride Parade in Belgrade. “We are happy to participate in Pride and want to say that we stand for equality and are against any form of discrimination. We want everyone to have the same human rights, to choose for themselves who they will love, and the mission of Pride is that LGBT+ people have the same rights as everyone else”, said EU Ambassador to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret.  
Together with the embassies of the member states, Giaufret sent a message of tolerance, love and non-discrimination.  
The Pride Walk started through Belgrade’s central streets from Manjež Park. Among the Pride participants was the Minister of European Integration, Tanja Mišćević, who pointed out that the message of this year’s walk is “protection of the rights of every citizen” for members of any minority. “This week, we are talking about the rights of the LGBT+ community that are still specific and require additional protection, because there is a misunderstanding of what we are talking about,” Miščević told reporters at Pride.  
She stated that the state is working on all matters that are important for the protection of the rights of the LGBTQI community, which, according to her, primarily related to a better understanding of the respect for their rights, but also to specific protection.  
The director of Belgrade Pride Goran Miletić reminded that this is the 15th Pride, but that five walks were prohibited.“We are not even close to fulfilling the requirements, because from 2014 to last year we still felt that something was happening, there were fewer and fewer policemen, the Law on Same-Sex Unions was drafted, but it was suspended, and Europride was banned”, said Miletić. The requests that the LGBT+ community in Serbia is asking for the tenth time are laws on same-sex unions and gender identity, faster processing of cases of violence against LGBT people, and others.  
During Pride Week, the EU Ambassador Emanuele Giaufret and Deputy Ambassador Plamena Halacheva participated in several events organized by Pride organizers. Together, they attended the opening of Pride Week in Kalemegdan, and Deputy Halacheva participated in the opening of the conference on human rights.

SEE Digital Rights Network Members from Kosovo, Croatia, and Greece Meet Online

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BIRN gathered SEE Digital Rights Network members from Kosovo, Greece, and Croatia to share their most recent digital rights-related projects and initiatives and talk about the future work of the SEE Digital Rights Network.

 

The meeting was held online on September 4, 2023, and was attended by representatives of seven organisations who shared recent experiences working in the digital rights field and showcased their plans. Representatives opened the dialogue to underline recent shared successes through the work with other SEE Digital Rights Network members, testifying about the Network’s collaborative and supportive spirit.

 

SCiDEV, actively working in Albania and the region, is currently working on its youth-oriented digital rights ERASMUS+ funded project by developing capacity-building programs tailored for the young from rural areas and disadvantaged groups. The project is implemented by SCiDEV and four other regional and EU-based organisations.

 

The organisation has its sights set on the future, hinting at upcoming collaborations with regional counterparts. While they praised the Network’s strides, they also called for enhanced communication via modern tools like Slack and a strengthened group identity. As the meeting concluded, the members committed to navigating the digital challenges together. The meeting ended with an announcement of the next gathering in December 2023, which will mark the first regional meeting of the SEE Digital Rights Network.

The residence of the EU Ambassador in Serbia illuminated by rainbow colours

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Six colours representing the flag of pride of the LGBT+ community illuminated the residence of European Union Ambassador to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret ahead of the scheduled Pride Parade in Belgrade. One of the main mottos of the European Union is “United in diversity”, and in 2020 the European Commission adopted the LGBT+ Equality Strategy, showing its commitment to building a Union of Equality.  
The EU also works to bring together member states and other actors at all levels to jointly solving discrimination against LGBT+ persons, ensuring their safety, building inclusive societies and insisting on equality around the world.During Pride Week, the Ambassador of the European Union Emanuele Giaufret and the Deputy Ambassador Plamena Halacheva participated in several events organized by Pride organizers. Together, they attended the opening of Pride Week in Kalemegdan, and Deputy Ambassador Halacheva participated in the opening of the conference on human rights.   
On the occasion of Belgrade Pride 2023, the embassies and representative offices of 25 countries and the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia issued a joint statement in which they emphasized their commitment to respecting, promoting and protecting human rights for all. “We will continue to work with local LGBTIQ+ organizations to help this community take a legitimate place in society and ensure constructive debate when it comes to topics of equality, non-discrimination and human rights, including freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. These are universal rights. Regardless of where we are, who we are – or whom we love,” the joint statement of the embassies and representative offices states.

“We are not even close” – the EU supports the rights of LGBT+ people

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One of the main mottos of the European Union is “United in diversity”, and it was repeated by the Deputy Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia, Plamena Halacheva, at the opening of the Conference on Human Rights on Thursday, September 7, as part of the Pride Week in Belgrade.

 

A few days before the Pride Parade itself, a conference on human rights, organized by the international organization Civil Right Defenders (CRD) was held and the theme of the conference was related to the need for legal protection of trans, intersex and gender-variant communities.

 

In addition to the Deputy Ambassador, the first panel that opened the conference included the Ambassadors of Sweden Annika Ben David and Belgium Cathy Buggenhout, the United Nations coordinator in Serbia Francoise Jacob, as well as the Minister for Human and Minority Rights in the Government of Serbia, Tomislav Žigmanov.

 

On the occasion of Belgrade Pride 2023, the embassies and representative offices of 25 countries and the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia issued a joint statement in which they emphasized their commitment to respecting, promoting and protecting human rights for all.

Transforming Education in Albania: Thousands of children begin the new School Year in state-of-art facilities

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More than 11 thousand pupils and 748 teachers in Albania start this school year in brand-new facilities thanks to the support of the EU4Schools programme. As part of this programme, over 40 schools are completed and 16 are currently under construction. These modern schools and kindergartens are stronger, safer, and more accessible, built together with the local community.  
“Proud to be back in Albania today and to see the amazing results we have achieved with our implementing partner UNDP in Albania. The EU’s quick and effective response to the post-earthquake recovery process in the education sector in Albania is now a great reality for the Albanian people,” said Charge d’affaires, Ambassador Luigi Soreca.  
“EU4Schools” is a Programme funded by the European Union in response to the recovery process following the earthquake of November 26, 2019. The Programme is being implemented by the UNDP, in cooperation with the Albanian Government. It aims to support Albanian citizens in eleven affected municipalities, namely: Kruja, Durrës, Kurbin, Kamza, Kavaja, Tirana, Mirdita, Lezha, Rrogozhina, Shijak, Vora in the area of education.  The Programme will deliver rapid assistance to help restore education services in local communities in order to ensure that students loose minimum school and learning days, and to enable the gradual normalization of life of affected population in those municipalities, with education being the foremost priority.