Young boys and girls in the north-eastern town in Burrel, persistent and dedicated to learning, but also talented and involved in the technology and innovation field – many of them decently representing Albania in international Olympiads – were the participants in the latest meeting with the Prime Minister Edi Rama to exchange opinions and ideas about what can be better done for the school, their hometown and their future.
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Prime Minister Edi Rama: Hello everyone! It would have been probably appropriate that after the outline presented by the Deputy Prime Minister Belinda (Balluku) we can go on with this conversation with you asking questions, expressing opinions or issues you find concerning. I would like each and every one of you to speak at this meeting. I won’t speak if you don’t.
-Mat Municipality has made a huge step forward by launching initiatives and hosting activities, training courses and by opening a vocational education school. We are a step ahead of others today. We young people know our values best and we are increasingly investing.
PM Edi Rama: Is anyone else wishing to level criticism and tell us “something is wrong with this or that,” someone telling us he “is glad everything now is fine, but something is not going right?” I think this would be much more interesting.
– Since we are talking about criticism, I would actually like to express my discontent about the youth’s active participation. In many events that have been taking place over the past three years – and I have had the chance to attend and join Erasmus projects abroad – these events are often attended by the very same individuals. This is perhaps because of the lack of information, lack of interest, but my question is: Has the government a project or a plan to make sure that a higher number of young people join such activities and this way Burrel hosts one day a youth centre, just like our town is now hosting the vocational education school that is a super project?
PM Edi Rama: As far as the youth activism is concerned this is something mutual and moreover it is related to a quite complex time like the one we are being through now, not only here in Albania, but also throughout the world. This is a problem facing everyone as the digital and technology devices have alienated people. The youngest ones primarily have become more socially withdrawn and therefore it seems they are not willing to attend events that require interaction among them and this is actually a serious problem for everyone and not only us. However, we are clearly aware of what we should do in order for us to enhance the opportunities and enhancing the opportunities has to do with the necessity to create new spaces, ranging from the new spaces for the technology, which are expanding and will keep expanding significantly each year, starting next January and February. After school courses and training programs will be held in certain schools, not in everyone, and the education facilities can become available to other people than the schoolchildren and students after the normal school day. Computer programming, coding and technology courses will be launched in these schools. Similar programs will include arts, crafts and sports activities.
Basketball and volleyball teams have been founded in each school and a wide range of activities will be launched once these teams are also provided the respective sports uniforms and other needed materials so that they can be true sports teams and championship tournaments, both at a local and national level, are held regularly, in a bid to promote a sports movement in schools. This is not for everyone to become sportsmen or sportswomen, but the goal is to promote physical activities and the strong feeling of being a team and the strong feeling of belongingness that sports incites like no other activity.
On the other hand, I believe that after school activities too, it is extremely important that the more young people are informed about the great employment opportunity the technology provides them to take up jobs anywhere and everywhere in the world, not anywhere in Albania, but anywhere in the world without having to leave their home, and receive much higher salaries than the salaries of the mayor and the prime minister. This is not something expected to happen in the future, but it is already happening in Albania too. Many young Albanian boys and girls are now employed in the online global market and they receive very high salaries. Unfortunately, their number has yet to grow.
– I personally, like many others, work for an international company. Today I was working at “Tarzani”, the bar we are now, for my British company. I returned back to Albania during the pandemic and I realized I can work in Albania. Nothing hampered me to work from here and therefore I decided to come back home once and forever.
PM Edi Rama: This is a real man! If I am the one to point out these facts, and you happen to watch TV, you would find out that I was speaking in vain, and instead you would come across speculating reports alleging that I have spent 22 million euros for flights. The reality is completely different. Earlier today, we visited Bulqizë, where despite the difficulties, because it is very difficult for them, but there is not a single uncultivated acre of agricultural land area there and the agricultural and livestock production components in Bulqizë are really impressive and of course exports grow, because people work hard.
The same goes for the district of Mat, which with the distance being shortened; it is a district where the potential for small businesses to grow and become big, for agritourism, tourism, tourist guides for all kinds of activities, including technology. Technology doesn’t require a certain place to develop or a post for one to work. It can develop everywhere. These are real opportunities. It also takes readiness and willingness to unite and work together.
Let’s talk about tourism. We are seeking to support handcraft businesses, because it is a very valuable part of the tourism industry that can generate significant income for the households. Two young people with a decorated bus and costumes, handicraft products have made a name for themselves in Tirana. Interaction is needed. We are here to stimulate, to support as we support agritourism, start-ups, other initiatives, as we will also support coding programs.
We have long discussed with the municipalities how they should be involved in supporting these initiatives and be participants in order to facilitate the whole process for young people, but it is important that you do your part.
