Snapshot from Tirana - Latest news from the European Youth Capital 2022
This year, more than ever, Tirana is putting the spotlight on young people. The Youth Capital for 2022 has already kicked off the year with many activities and events focusing on young people, allowing them to integrate as much as possible in various areas of their daily life.
So what have you missed? Here is the latest snapshot of all the activities Tirana has organised under the European Youth Capital 2022 title so far.
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From Tirana to the world
Every year, the last Saturday of March is dedicated to bringing awareness to what unites us: our need to protect our planet. In Tirana's youth capital year, the Global Movement for Earth Hour 2022 was an opportunity for citizens to come together and connect. This time, Earth Hour came at a critical time for the people and the free country of Ukraine. That is why many young people gathered in "Skanderbeg Square" showing their desire for peace on planet Earth in this difficult period.
Participants created the Ukrainian flag with over 60 candles and with the inscription "Peace for Ukraine" in the city’s square.
During their opening remarks of the event, the Executive Director of the National Youth Congress, Ms Dafina Peci and General Coordinator for Tirana EYC 2022, Ms Aspasjana Kongo, stressed the importance of caring for our environment, pointing out the importance that this movement has for the programme of Tirana EYC 2022, highlighted also through one of its themes called "Youth and Eco-Health".
A focus on jobs and innovation
Another key moment of this month full of events was the launch of “Young Developers and Entrepreneurs to Advance Start-ups” (YDEAS), a project aiming to provide upskilling to young people aged 18-25 from the Western Balkans region, to improve their innovative entrepreneurial capacities. “This event is a reminder of how crucial it is to include your neighbour in your ambitions and dreams, of how crucial co-operation is. And the OSCE, the organisation that was created for security and cooperation, is probably the most important agent to undertake this mission,” said Mr Erion Veliaj, Mayor of Tirana, the European Youth Capital 2022.
“As we seek to rebound from this most recent crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can only stand to win by investing in social enterprises, as they bring socio-economic growth through social inclusion, through connectivity, and developing sustainable solutions to common challenges”, added Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania.
Aiming to bridge the gap between young people and employers, a national Job Fair titled "Syn Ergasia" also took place under the calendar of events for Tirana EYC 2022. The fair was held at the Palace of Congresses for two consecutive days, coming as a joint effort of the Greek Embassy in Tirana, the Municipality of Tirana, the National Youth Congress, and the Hellenic Business Association of Albania. It offered more than 800 new opportunities and job positions to Albanian youth.
Similarly, the "Work and Study" fair which took place in various cities and towns across Albania was organised by the National Youth Congress in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Tirana. From March to April 2022, this fair was targeted to Albanian youth, visited by more than 20,000 students and young job seekers throughout Albania.
Celebrating diversity
Tirana's youth has also been bringing attention to the city's culture! The Metropol Theater in cooperation with the National Youth Congress presented the new project, the MetroSound festival - "Jehona Arbëreshe", which brought music, tradition, language, and research on the Arbëresh culture closer to the public. The sounds of Arbëresh music came under the artistic direction of pianist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer Robert Bisha.
Find out more about the European Youth Capital
European Youth Capital
The European Youth Capital is a title awarded by the European Youth Forum designed to empower young people, boost youth participation and strengthen European identity in our cities.
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