On 16 September 2024, the OSCE Presence in Albania kicked off a week-long series of events branded Democracy Week to mark the International Democracy Day, 15 September.
During the first event, together with the Central Election Commission (CEC), the Presence launched a youth competition for the best slogan, short video and graphic design to be used by the CEC during next year's electoral campaign.
"Youth involvement is not just important - it is vital. The youth of Albania are not just the future; they have the opportunity to be the driving force of today's decision-making processes and the shapers of tomorrow's democratic institutions," Ambassador Michel Tarran, Head of OSCE Presence in Albania, said at the opening of the event.
"This competition aims not only to raise awareness on the importance of participating in elections, but also to establish a platform for the young people where they can make their voices heard and share ideas for a stronger and more inclusive democracy," said State Election Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi.
The event brought together youth organizations, civil society representatives, OSCE Presence's Youth Advisory Group and young community activists. The participants engaged in an open discussion on the critical role of youth engagement in elections and decision-making processes. Emphasizing the importance of engaging young people in democratic processes, they shared the challenges they face in active participation and ways to overcome such barriers and having their voices heard. The event was organized under the OSCE Presence's project "Support to Electoral Reform and Processes in Albania", which is funded by Sweden, Switzerland, the U.S. Mission to the OSCE and Poland.
The competition was the first of a series of activities focused on promoting democratic values, raising awareness about electoral processes and highlighting the importance of civic engagement across Albania. The other events during the Democracy Week include:
17 September
Democracy insight session with a Roma community activist
Founder of Roma Women Rights Manjola Veizi will share her personal and professional experiences, alongside data and findings from her recent project on women's economic empowerment.
Meeting with the Working Group on Gender and Women in Decision-Making on recent electoral changes
Discussions will focus on the recent amendments to the Electoral Code and their potential impact on the upcoming parliamentary elections, while also discussing key follow-up actions to promote gender equality throughout the electoral process).
18 September
Police Media Training - Practical application of media skills and building trust and restoring ethics
An interactive training for police and media featuring best practices for a media conference, discussion of a code of ethics for journalists covering public incidents and the work of law enforcement.
19 September
International Election Working Group meeting
With the restart of the political season, the Presence resumes its periodical briefings with the diplomatic community in Albania to discuss the recent electoral reform efforts and other significant election-related developments.
Youth Advisory Group visit to Assembly of Albania and meeting with Speaker and young MPs
The OSCE Presence's Youth Advisory Group will visit parliament, where they will have the opportunity to meet with Youth Club parliamentarians. The visit will centre on the significance of youth engagement and include an observation of the parliamentary plenary session. Discussions with MPs will address key topics such as the financial costs of education, proposed amendments to the Youth Law, and current issues in the education system.
20 September
Working meeting between Assembly staff and accredited journalists on parliament's communication strategy
A consultation meeting on the finalization of the Albanian Assembly Communication Strategy document will bring together around 40 participants for technical discussions together with Secretary General of the Albanian Assembly, Chair of the Working group for drafting the strategy and Head of Commination Office. The finalization of the Communication Strategy remains one of the priorities of parliament. The OSCE Presence's support to this important process started in the beginning of this year with a series of co-ordination meetings.
