1 December 2022
The announcement of 2022 as the European Year of Youth and of Tirana European Youth Capital started a vibrant dynamic for Albania and Albanian Youth, further nourished by the start of the EU accession talks with Albania. In 2022 Youth became a keyword in the political sphere across Albania, in the region and in the EU. Young people in Albania had access to far more opportunities to address present challenges through easier access to decision-makers and were valiantly supported by an ambitious funding programme of TEYC 22. Composed of 8 thematic programme areas and for the first time ever in such distinctive format, the co-design, co-governance and co-management of local actions “with youth and for the youth” has been successfully implemented.
Under the objective of securing a long-lasting legacy of the Tirana European Youth Capital 2022 (TEYC’22), CDI organized on December 1-2 a visit in Brussels to promote and strengthen the legacy of the Tirana European Youth Capital 2022, by reaching out to different EU – based institutions and stakeholders.
This visit started with a meeting with Directorate General for European Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) and Directorate General for Education and Culture (DG EAC) officials. National Youth Congress of Albania presented the program and opportunities that Tirana EYC 2022 offers to young people, as well as underlined the need for EU support to the youth in order to further maximize the positive momentum the title brought for the youth, i.e to be more insiders in the decision-making process that affects them. One of the main takeaways from the meeting was the active involvement of youth in the EU accession talks mechanisms and dynamics. The EU integration should not be only a technical process, but also a great opportunity for the youth to get familiar with EU policies and have a more pronounced role in the process.
Part of the visit agenda was also meeting the European Youth Forum team and discussing current initiatives and ideas on keeping a better and more empowering environment for young people in Tirana and Albania. With the recent membership of the National Youth Congress of Albania to the European Youth Forum, Albanian youth are closer to the EU family.
Alongside the formal meetings, the TEYC team met with the Team Leader for Albania in the DG NEAR, Mr Vincent Rey. Both shared Albanian youth and EC perspectives on how to speed up the integration of Albania into the EU, by encouraging youth involvement in reform policy processes.
To increase the visibility of TEYC’2022 impact and identify entry points for future cooperation a networking event was organised in cooperation with the Puglia Region at their Brussels office. Part of the panel was the Minister of Economic Development, Mr Alessandro Delli Noci, the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Tirana, Ms Keti Luarasi and the Executive Director of National Youth Congress Ms Dafina Peci.
The event aimed at presenting, promoting and discussing the TEYC22 yearlong programme activities and achievements, Puglia EU-led cooperation programmes in the Western Balkans region and building new networking opportunities between the Albanian youth sector and Puglia/Italian/EU-based organizations and programs.
“We are happy for the building of cooperation and joint projects that we intend to realize together with the Region of Puglia in the field of economy and creative entrepreneurship. This year has proven that the diversification of youth programs and policies requires synergy and cross-sectoral collaborations to empower young people as leaders of cultural and creative transformation in society. Moreover, on the path of Albania’s European integration, they are and will be a strong voice and strategic partner at the European level.” – emphasized Ms Peci in her speech.
The mission in Brussels ended with a meeting at the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) with Mr Gilles Kittel, Team Leader – IPA, Enlargement Negotiations and EUSAIR and his team. During the meeting, the main achievements of the TEYC’2022 were presented and ideas for future cooperation within the European Territorial Cooperation Programmes and initiatives were discussed.
