The improvement of the quality of education in Albania is becoming increasingly evident through concrete initiatives that promote knowledge, research, and innovation among young people, such as the organization of the National Science Festival, a competitive and promotional platform that featured high school students from across the country, who had the opportunity to present research projects, experiments, engineering prototypes, and digital solutions.
The final of the festival took place this weekend at the Palace of Congresses, a journey that began with an idea, came to life in the laboratories of 300 high schools across Albania with the participation of over 6,000 students, and was ultimately crowned as a concrete product serving society.
Prime Minister Rama also attended the award ceremony, thanking all students for their engagement and emphasizing the importance of this initiative as a first step toward a long and successful path in the field of knowledge and technology.
***
Prime Minister Edi Rama: Good afternoon everyone, and very briefly I would like to sincerely thank all the students who have been part of this journey of the first edition of the National Science Festival, and of course I would also like to warmly congratulate all the boys and girls, or more precisely the girls and boys, since there are more girls and fewer boys, for reaching the final. Regardless of who the jury will determine as winners, what remains is the laying of a first stone on a path which I hope will be long and successful for all of you, as Albania today needs to activate the full potential that lies within your generation.
You are very young by old standards, but you are very ready by the standards of the new era, when innovation and the epochal transformations of today’s technological world originate precisely from your generation. I can tell you that we have done a lot in terms of technology.
We have transformed Albania from a country where it was impossible to receive a service without standing in long queues into a country that became a regional frontrunner and stood out in Europe among those that used technology to provide public services directly from a mobile phone or a computer at home, regardless of geographic location, whether within the country or anywhere in the world.
On the other hand, we are very aware that while we have made significant progress in the public sector, there is still much to be done in the private sector. For this reason, together with the Minister of Economy and Innovation, we are working to significantly increase funding for startups and to strengthen support for all those who have potential and who tomorrow can become creators and founders of startups.
So, you will certainly not be left behind, and regardless of how the competition turns out, we will stand by you, we will cooperate with your schools, we will work directly with you by creating a system that we will support with funding, so that all these projects, which are still at an early stage, can be further developed, while you yourselves, through developing these projects, enter this endless path of new technology.
I would like to thank the universities for the support they have given to these young people. I would like to thank everyone else involved. I was pleased to see that the Ambassador of Germany is also present here, not simply to represent his country, but as the neighbor of the “Sami Frashëri” school, since only one street separates the German Embassy from the school. And finally, we saw a German cooperating with his neighbor, even though he should be equally distant from everyone, but a neighbor is a neighbor.
So, beyond the joke, a sincere thank you to the German government, to the governments of other European Union countries that support our projects, and of course to the always welcome Ambassador of the European Union, who is present here and represents an extraordinary supporting force in the field of digitalization and new technologies, namely the European Union. In this regard, we must find ways to work with universities and high schools to increase the capacity of applications with the right projects to access more European Union funds for new technologies.
Thank you very much to everyone.
***
At the end of the festival, first place was awarded to the “Zhani Ciko” high school in Patos, with a project focused on the importance of bees and the integration of technology with nature. The project was evaluated for its innovative approach and its message on sustainability and environmental protection.
Prime Minister Rama, who was invited to present the first prize, described this achievement as proof that in today’s world, beyond geographic position, what makes the difference is knowledge, will, and the power of ideas.
Prime Minister Edi Rama: First place, as the culmination of an extraordinary journey toward knowledge, where critical thinking, the courage to challenge the unknown, and the power of creativity were transformed into a high achievement at the National Science Festival, goes to the “Zhani Ciko” high school. I would also like to invite here the supervising teacher of the project.
It is an indescribable emotion to be recognized for such great work on a project that is truly commendable. It is a project that is about bees. We know that bees are very important for our lives, and from Einstein’s well-known statement, which says: “If the bees disappear, we will disappear with them,” allow me to share a message: “Plant a flower, save a bee,” because this is the future. We want to combine technology with nature to bring not only novelty but also innovation to the entire market, not only agricultural, but why not extend this project further. Thank you very much. And most importantly, we are from Patos!
Prime Minister Edi Rama: I wanted to say that the “Zhani Ciko” school is in Patos, and Patos is a small town, but this first prize shows what this new era of technology has brought for everyone, regardless of their geographic position, whether they live in a large or small country, whether they live in a center or in a periphery. Knowledge is enough, the power of dreams is enough, and the will, together with a smartphone or a computer, is enough to shape destiny and change the world. The example of the girls and boys from Patos is a meaningful example of this festival. I wish you all the best, and I expected everything from Patos, but since it has always been associated with the oil industry, seeing girls and boys from Patos talking about flowers is something extraordinary.
***
This initiative, supported by the Ministry of Education, transformed the school into a space that fosters creativity and innovation, encouraging young people to apply knowledge in practice and independently, while also strengthening cooperation between pre-university education, universities, and the private sector.
