World Engineering Day: Building a Safe and Sustainable Future

Each year on March 4 it’s World Engineering Day, which celebrates and honours the engineers whose work strengthens resilience and sustainability for a better future. It is also an opportunity to highlight the dedication of the engineers working with and for the EU4Culture programme which is preserving cultural heritage while ensuring the highest standards of health and safety. This programme is funded by the EU and implemented by UNOPS in partnership with the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation.

This year, to mark this day, the EU4Culture team visited the Archaeological Museum of Durrës, currently undergoing restoration. Hosting over 2,000 artefacts sourced from archaeological campaigns of the last decades, the museum is a testament to Albania’s rich history, that engineers are helping to safeguard for future generations. But beyond preserving structures, they are also ensuring that the restoration process itself prioritizes safety, protecting those working on-site every day.

“We are very happy to be at the Archaeological Museum in Durrës, awarding those who have distinguished themselves in ensuring health and safety at our sites. Goal Zero is a very important principle for us. Our priority is that all workers return home healthy and safe every day,” said Pamela Lama, EU4Culture Senior Programme Manager.

To honor their commitment to health and safety, two contractors working at the Archaeological Museum of Durrës, engineer Anjeza Nebiaj and Shpëtim Pitarka, technical specialist. were awarded with UNOPS Goal Zero certificates for their dedication to workplace standards. Their efforts reflect the organization’s mission to maintain zero harm across all infrastructure projects.

“Goal Zero is not just a policy, but a culture. Our aim is simple but vital: zero incidents, zero injuries,” noted Flamur Shala, EU4Culture Infrastructure Project Manager.

In Albania, 218 workplace accident inspections were conducted in 2023 to ensure workplace safety and compliance with regulations and 76% resulted in penalties. This serves as a reminder that adherence to safety protocols is essential to prevent accidents and protect workers’ well-being.

For engineers, ensuring safety is as critical as the technical aspects of their work.

“The training provided by UNOPS has helped us improve our daily practices. It’s our responsibility as engineers to uphold these important principles and pass them on,” highlighted Anjeza Nebiaj, engineer.

Her colleague, Shpëtim Pitarka, emphasized the value of collaboration in maintaining safety standards. “Working with the UNOPS engineering team has been a privilege.Their support and shared expertise have been essential in ensuring accident-free sites,” he noted.

At UNOPS, engineers are not only preserving cultural heritage but also setting new benchmarks for workplace safety. Their dedication ensures that every restoration project under the EU4Culture Programme is completed with both history and people in mind. On this World Engineering Day, we celebrate their invaluable contributions, building a safer, more sustainable future, one project at a time.