Tirana, 2 May 2024 – The EU Delegation to Albania kicks off today Europe Week 2024 with a series of events aimed at promoting and celebrating Inclusiveness, Diversity and Human Rights through art, music, fairs, exhibitions and discussion panels organized from north to south of Albania.

Under the motto “Europe is here”, we want to promote diversity and equality through dialogue and cooperation. As Albania moves forward in its EU accession path, the EU and its Member States continue to give their support in the field of fundamental rights in order to bring Albania closer to EU standards. Europe Week 2024 will show how the EU supports Albania in building diversity and inclusion across the society.

“Our full-day public events in Shkodra, Gjirokastra and Tirana will be an opportunity to discuss and advocate for more equality, non-discrimination and diversity. These are values which have inspired the EU project and remain at its heart. We want to create spaces for engagement and debate with different Albanian partners, to discuss how we can foster a more inclusive and fair society, where everyone has its place and can make their own contribution. Our EU Fairs in the three cities will welcome citizens who want to meet people and associations who have participated in EU funded programmes and get informed about EU initiatives promoting inclusion and diversity or providing opportunities to fulfil one’s professional potential,” EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato said during his press conference announcing 2024 Europe Week programme in Albania. 

This year, the EU Delegation has partnered with the Western Balkans Young Orchestra Europe, a platform for the cooperation of young professional musicians of the Western Balkans countries that seeks to unite the region's youth. We will use music as a means to breaking down barriers to building a society of equality.

“Music unites, it has the incredible power of fostering inclusion in a world marred by divisions. The Western Balkans Youth Orchestra will present this and much more throughout Europe Week 2024 in Albania. Over 100 young musicians from 10 European countries will come together to convey the message of unity, equality, inclusion and diversity in various artistic forms”, says Desar Sulejmani, Director of the Western Balkans Youth Orchestra.

Europe Week will be in Shkodra on 4 May, in Shiroka’s pedestrian area bringing together public authorities, Team Europe, diplomatic corps, international and local civil society organizations, citizens, business community representatives and Young European Ambassadors (YEA). Students of the Academy of Arts in Shkodra will host an exhibition on “Human rights and diversity” and a panel discussion with local civil society representatives on Human Rights, Diversity and Inclusiveness will take place. Our Shkodra day will feature an artistic performance by “The Door”, a local band of musicians with special needs and an artistic performance by musicians of the Western Balkans Youth Orchestra.

On May 6, we will be at the Bazaar in Gjirokastra, where the EU Fair will combine different musical genres, through performances by local cultural Roma and Egyptian groups and musicians of the Western Balkans Youth Orchestra. We will inaugurate the EU-funded Traditional Roma Crafts Market and will host a panel discussion on the ethnic and religious harmony of the local communities at Obelisku.

In Tirana, Europe Week will take place at Italia Square, on 9 May, with the EU fair and performances by the Visually Inclusive Choir supported by Creative Europe and musicians of the Western Balkans Youth Orchestra. New, EU-funded, social inclusion projects will be launched and the 20^th anniversary of the 2004 EU Enlargement will be discussed.

Our EU Fair On Air will live stream interviews and discussions on the different activities, masterclasses, concerts, exhibitions, inclusive project launches, school inaugurations, youth initiatives, artisans’ fairs to further promote equality, social inclusion, and discrimination aiming to show a colourful and rich culture, thus inspire change in a society that has a place for everyone.  

For more details, please find attached the Europe Week 2024 agenda.

You are welcome to join us!