In November 2019, Albania was hit by the country’s most devastating earthquake in the last 50 years. Estimated at a Richter magnitude 6.3, it caused extensive damage across 11 municipalities. The EU4Culture programme 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 Economy, Culture and Innovation. 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.
Guided by the “Building Back Better” principle, EU4Culture focuses on renovation of major cultural heritage sites in line with the UN Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. In parallel, the programme aims to enhance Albania’s tourism potential, thus directly contributing to local and regional socio-economic recovery. To that aim, special focus is given to innovative technologies, including digital story-telling and creation of multimedia products designed to be accessible for all. At the same time, the programme is supporting local entrepreneurship, artisanship and cultural initiatives evolving around selected sites through the allocation of grants, providing a direct boost to the local economy.
UNOPS is a UN agency that provides infrastructure, procurement and project management services for a
more sustainable world. We combine the best of the UN and the private sector to ensure our partners
maximize the positive impact of their peace and security, humanitarian and development projects – with
equality, inclusiveness, sustainability and resilience as the foundations of our work. Unops supports
projects in more than 80 countries around the world with a total delivery of 2.2 billion $ during 2020.
We help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. We bring
to this task the values and principles of the United Nations and the innovation, boldness, speed and
efficiency of a self-financed institution.
UNOPS Albania office was established in September 2020. In Albania, we work with our partners on a range of projects. This includes the EU4Culture project, our support to the government of Albania on the
COVID-19 response efforts, regional (Western Balkans) programs, supporting reform processes to
achieve EU accession and progress on country development agendas. We also work closely with the UN
Country team on sustainable development actively contributing to the UN Sustainable Development
Cooperation Framework 2021-2026 with the Albanian government.
Municipalities targeted by the Program
Ongoing Sites
Total Budget
Policymakers, academics, media, community representatives participated in Consultation meetings
Restored Sites
Site | Category | Region | Administrative Unit | Type of Intervation | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albanian National Film Archive | Equipment within premises of a second category monument | Tirana | Tirana | Equipment Purchase and Installation | Read More |
National Institute for Cultural Heritage (IKTK) | Equipment within premises of a second category monument | Tirana | Tirana | Equipment Purchase and Installation | Read More |
National Gallery of Arts | Equipment within premises of a second category monument | Tirana | Tirana | Equipment Purchase and Installation | Read More |
Ethnographic Museum of Kruja | First Category | Kruja | Kruja | Conservation/Infrastructure/Cultural Heritage and Business plans/Digital Content/Musealization | Read More |
Kurcaj Bridge | First Category | Kruja | Nikël / Kurcaj | Conservation | Read More |
Monastery Church in Rubik | First Category | Mirdita | Rubik | Conservation / Infrastructure | Read More |
Ruins of St. Mary Church | First Category | Kurbin | Mamurras/Shën Mëri | Conservation / Infrastructure/Conservation Management Plan | Read More |
Former Archbishopric of Durrës, Delbnisht | Second Category | Kurbin | Milot/Delbnisht | Conservation / Infrastructure | Read More |
Castle of Lezha | First Category | Lezha | Lezha | Emergency Consolidation | Read More |
National Library Fund | Equipment within premises of a second category monument | Tirana | Tirana | Equipment Purchase and Installation | Read More |
National Historical Museum | Second Category | Tirana | Tirana | Conservation / Consolidation of Existing Structure / Artefact Evacuation | Read More |
Mosaic of the Façade at the National Historical Museum | Second Category | Tirana | Tirana | Conservation | Read More |
National Puppet Theatre | First Category | Tirana | Tirana | Conservation / Infrastructure / Cultural Heritage and Business Plans | Read More |
Building of the Institute for Formerly Politically Persecuted | Second Category | Tirana | Tirana | Conservation / Infrastructure / Cultural Heritage and Business Plan | Read More |
Ministry of Culture | Second Category | Tirana | Tirana | Conservation / Infrastructure | Read More |
Ethnographic Museum of Kavaja | First Category | Kavaja | Kavaja | Conservation/Infrastructure/Cultural Heritage and Business plans/Digital Content/Musealization | Read More |
Castle of Bashtova | First Category | Rrogozhina | Kryevidh/Ballaj | Conservation / Infrastructure / Cultural Heritage and Business plans / Digital Content | Read More |
Archaeological Museum in Durrës | Not a monument | Durrës | Durrës | Conservation / Infrastructure / Cultural Heritage and Business plans / Digital Content / Musealization | Read More |
Ethnographic Museum of Durrës | First Category | Durrës | Durrës | Restoration / Cultural Heritage Management and Business Plan | Read More |
Hammam of Durrës | First Category | Durrës | Durrës | Conservation / Infrastructure / Cultural Heritage and Business plans / Digital Content | Read More |
Venetian Tower | First Category | Durrës | Durrës | Conservation / Infrastructure / Cultural Heritage and Business plans / Digital Content | Read More |
Church of St. Anthony in Cape Rodon | First Category | Durrës | Durrës | Conservation / Infrastructure | Read More |
Ishmi Castle | First Category | Durrës | Ishëm | Conservation/Conservation Management Plan | Read More |