The Union of Student Councils and the Embassy of Croatia in Albania, in cooperation with the “Support for EU Integration” (EUIS) project, held a discussion in Tirana today on the role of young people in building a common European future.
Croatian Ambassador to Albania Zlatko Kramarić, President of the Union of Student Councils Valbona Halitaj, Croatian Embassy Adviser Vanja Gavran and EUIS expert Andreja Tonč opened the discussion.
Students and young professionals discussed the benefits of EU membership and Croatia’s experience as an EU member. They also discussed Croatia’s support for Albania’s integration process.
Croatia recently became the latest country in the region to complete the EU accession process. Its experience offered Albanian young people an opportunity to better understand the benefits and challenges of European integration.
Meanwhile, participants focused on opportunities for young people. These include education, mobility, employment and access to European projects and funding. They also discussed personal development and active participation in European society.
“You are the generation that will complete this transition. This is both a privilege and a responsibility. You did not create the problems of the past, but you inherited the responsibility to build something better,” Kramarić said.
The Croatian ambassador also encouraged young people to view European integration as more than EU membership.
“One day, when you look back on this period, you will not simply say: We became members of the European Union. You will be able to say something much more important: We helped change our society,” he added.
The discussion forms part of a wider series of activities taking place across Albania throughout September. Organizers will also hold discussions in Kukës, Berat, Pogradec and Shkodër.
These activities address a priority that the European Commission has repeatedly highlighted in its annual reports on Albania. The priority focuses on improving public information and awareness about the EU integration process.
By bringing the discussion to young people in different cities, the initiative brings the European agenda closer to local communities. It also helps citizens understand how integration can affect their daily lives, rather than viewing the process only through the negotiating chapters.
The European Union finances the “Support for EU Integration” (EUIS) project. DAI, Abkons and WeGlobal implement the project. The initiative supports Albanian institutions throughout the country’s EU accession process.
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