A year of remarkable progress!

27 December 2023

A new year is a perfect opportunity to reflect on the past year, lessons learnt, strengthening of the existing and creating new partnerships.

2023 was a challenging year, however, our team, working together with our national and international partners, achieved remarkable results and helped Albania to move forward on its journey towards sustainable development.

We welcomed high-officials, including Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania, inaugurated iconic sites, created the first in Albania Cultural Heritage Digital Interpretation center and supported hundreds of artisans, civil society activists and community members through our Grants programme.

As a result of our joint work, both residents of Tirana, domestic and international tourists can now marvel at the restored iconic Mosaic “Albania” adorning the National Historical Museum. 

A cultural gem of Durres, the restored Venetian Tower has opened its doors and offers a unique multimedia experience allowing visitors to dive into ancient history and experience history first-hand through virtual reality tools.

The restored Kurcaj bridge has been returned back to the community and is serving as an important cultural landmark attracting tourists and is helping to revitalize the area and boost socio-economic development.

After years of abandonment, the restored The former Archbishopric of Durres in Delbnisht (Laç) is now serving as an important cultural and religious center, providing a space for prayer and reflection for people of faith and community residents. 

The Albanian National Library Fund can now better preserve Albania’s cultural heritage thanks to the new high-quality, state-of-the-art equipment.

Through our Grants programme, we partnered with hundreds of community leaders, artisans and local activists and supported 24  grassroot initiatives aimed at promoting cultural tourism as a driver for boosting local economy and generating new incomes.

Working closely with journalists and opinion leaders we raised awareness of thousands of people about the importance of the cultural heritage for cultural identity. 

Aiming to build capacity and share our knowledge and expertise, we welcomed numerous students at our sites who had the opportunity to gain expertise and get inspired in pursuing careers in renovation and restoration fields.

The New Year is also an opportunity to say thank you. 

All these achievements would not be possible without support and joint efforts of our national and international partners and stakeholders , in particular the European Union Delegation in Albania  and the Ministry of Culture and its institutions. We are also grateful to the Mayors, municipality officials, civil society organisations, journalists, opinion leaders, students, artisans and thousands of engineers, researchers, restores and workers who day to day committed to the restoring and safeguarding of the cultural treasures of Albania.