Three years ago, some young people in Kamza came together to create a space of free ideas. They created the “ATA” Youth Centre, and have attracted since then more and more young people who unfold their ideas, mainly dedicated to culture. In their small space you can find a documentary produced by them, sometimes a painting exhibition, and other times a workshop. The Prime Minister learned accidentally on FB about the centre, as he was communicating with Ilir, one of its activists, to whom the Prime Minister said he would like to visit the centre and meet these young people with ambitious ideas to re-shape the city of their dreams. “The model you have created with each other is first of all a model of resistance to vanity, boredom that turns into curse and complaints. You are an illustration of Mother Teresa’s expression, “Light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.” If everybody lights a candle, there will be no more darkness. The potential is great, and it is up to you. The state should be a partner, but not an exclusive partner. Your relationship with state structures should be a partnership relationship.”
The newest project is hanging on the wall. It is a map where each of them has designed the city they want, identified as reference points of the city they want. Aurora has designed on this map a playground that is missing. Armir, a museum to document the city. Alban needs a space where he can read, and he is trying to transform the coffee shop into a library. That’s why he has chosen a library on the map. The Prime Minister urged them to not leave their ideas just on paper, but to turn them into projects.
“What makes the difference, the Prime Minister noted, is that you should find the way to turn these ideas into projects. These projects can attract partners and funding. Walt Disney has beautifully said that “the difference between dream and reality is the project”. In order to make a dream become reality, and convince other people, you need a reliable, convincing and attractive project. If you manage to go from this stage to the stage where all these points can become reference points not just on paper, but also out there, then you should think how you can make projects out of them.”
The project, the Prime Minister continued, can become self-employment. “If you have some projects, and obtain some funding for them, you will be self-employed and you will see that that project will generate some public and economic good. This is totally possible.”
The prime minister encouraged them in the pursuit of their dreams, which he considered inspirational for a more beautiful city, with quality public spaces and a cultural life. “The impact of a public space with taste, that transmits beauty, is many times stronger than any other effort or force to establish a new kind of coexistence. I believe very much in this. You might have the streets paved, but you will not be able to bring the change in the way you look at each-other’s space, provided that you create quality public spaces.”
The Prime Minister had a chat with the young people who told him about their ideas and dreams, and the Prime Minister told them about many of his experiences. “We were sceptical about meeting with politicians, but we are glad about your visit”, Diana, one of the first activists of the Centre said. “Because, when you speak in a similar space of freedom, which does not belong to any party, we’d better sit and talk. We appreciate this very much.”
“It is very wrong, the Prime Minister noted, especially in a reality like this we have, to think that staying away from people who deal with politics, means that you’re safeguarding your health. The contrary is true. The more people stay away from politics, the more politics becomes a means in the hands of a few people. The idea that you must stay away from it is still wrong, because everything you are showing is connected to politics, whether as a consequence or as a need of politics.”
