Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja attended an expanded meeting of the National Youth Council on Tuesday, stressing the importance of dialogue, mutual respect and greater youth involvement in decision-making.

Gonxhja said the meeting highlighted the education, communication skills, critical thinking and social awareness of a generation eager to make its voice heard, participate and contribute to the country’s future.

“We discussed recent developments, public trust in institutions, employment, meritocracy in public administration, the ‘Talk to the Prime Minister’ platform, support for startups and youth initiatives. Participants also raised difficult questions, voiced criticism and scepticism, shared different perspectives and called for more information about institutional policies and programmes,” he said.

Gonxhja stressed that dialogue matters most when people disagree rather than simply when they reach consensus.

“On the contrary, dialogue takes on its deepest meaning when we listen to those who challenge our views, show humility by reflecting on their arguments and respond with honesty, reason and responsibility,” he said.

“Young people are not our opponents. They are part of us. They belong to the same society, share the same struggle and hope for a better Albania. We must build no walls or divisions between generations, institutions and citizens, or between decision-makers and those who rightly demand a voice in the decision-making process,” Gonxhja added.

He also called on political leaders and institutions to promote understanding and compromise, acknowledge that some answers may fall short and reflect more carefully on the concerns, expectations and sensitivities of every community, particularly young people.

Gonxhja further noted that listening does not mean abandoning one’s beliefs, just as expressing disagreement does not make someone an adversary.

“Mutual respect is the bridge that allows us to move forward, even when we disagree. We cannot build the future by widening the gaps between us, but by overcoming them through more listening, less prejudice and greater reflection. Despite our differences, far more unites us than divides us,” he concluded.