The Albanian Rural Parliament is an initiative of the Albanian Network for Rural Development and represents a platform for advocacy, capacity building and networking dedicated to rural development. Due to the situation created by Covid-19, the organization of the second Parliament has been postponed to another period when the pandemic developments allow its convening. Within the second Parliament, in the period March-July 2020, ANRD organized four rural regional forums which animated the dialogue and the contribution of various public and non-public actors. This moment has been important to analyze the reality and get better acquainted with the needs and problems, to reflect on the vision and priorities to improve rural communities across the country. In this context, ANRD created discussion and consultation spaces, as well as other alternatives to collect contributions from various stakeholders on critical issues faced by the sector and rural communities; vision for the future and recommendations to improve the sector and village life. [Read here about the Parliament]

THE CONCEPT OF GREEN ECONOMY & CIVIL SOCIETY - GET TO KNOW THE NAGE PROJECT!

Achieving sustainable development by preserving and improving the environment and its biodiversity, ie development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the future of the next generation by guaranteeing human rights for a healthy and productive world, is a current challenge countries in Europe and the world are facing with. The civil sector can play an important role in the process of achieving sustainable rural development by actively advocating in this regard, to participate in the decision-making process and to influence local and national authorities to create an enabling environment for sustainable development and environmental protection, with a focus on the green economy and entrepreneurship. In this context, the national rural development networks of Western Balkan, united through the Balkan Network for Rural Development (BRDN), from April 2018 undertook the implementation of a comprehensive three-year project “"Networking and Advocacy for the Green Economy" - NAGE.

Informating Meeting On The Opportunities For Greening Entrepreneurship Ideas

“While Puka represents a significant agritourism potential in northern Albania, accommodation, culinary, handicraft and wild fruit processing enterprises are investments that promise sustainability, strengthening of the community and employment of young people and marginalized categories of society." From the activity of the Institute for Environmental Policy that took place in Puka on 17.07.2020, in the frame of the Project "Circulating Economy in Puka". [Check the post]

Awareness raising meeting on "Green Economy and Entrepreneurship”

In the framework of the project ” Women in making green the value chain in the collection processing and packaging of Roshnik figs “ the organization “Women in Sustainable Agriculture – WSA” organized an awareness-raising meeting to share general knowledge on the green economy, its importance, economic benefits, environmental and social aspects, good practices etc. This meeting, organized in the area covered by the project, served to gather opinions and reach conclusions on how to identify the best ideas and models for the implementation of the intervention. [Check the post]

NAGE successfully conducted trainings on “Green Economy and Entrepreneurship”!

More than 40 members of civil society organizations, young people, women, entrepreneurs in the field of green and social business, educators and students, as well as environment activists, gained knowledge and exchanged interesting ideas on the possibility of networking and implementation of green entrepreneurial initiatives during the series of “Green Economy and Entrepreneurship” trainings held for local CSOs organized from ANRD in the frame of “Networking and Advocacy for Green Economy – (NAGE)” project. [Read more]

ANRD contributes to the webinar organized by the European network PREPARE

Since its first year of existence ANRD has been a full member of the European network PREPARE - Partnership for Rural Europe, which strives to promote international exchanges between those involved in rural development throughout Europe. ANRD National Coordinator, Evelina Azizaj, has been a board member of PREPARE as of June 2020. In her role, she contributed to the organization and moderation of the webinar on: "Improving perspectives for the implementation of the LEADER approach in the Western Balkans". [Read more]

Upcoming Activities

Be part of different activities at national and regional level dedicated to rural development. In this section, YOU will be introduced to various options. You are welcome to participate, contribute and exhibit your skills and knowledge in these activities.

WEBINAR:
Young Farmers for the Future
18th of September 2020

"Albanian Alps Alliance" is a partner of the BOND project, which aims to contribute to strengthening the great potential for collective action of young farmers that have a voice in rural and agricultural policy making. In the frame of this project, the last webinar of the "Forum of Young Farmers for the Future" will be organized on September 18 [Inform on BOND]

SLOW FOOD YOUTH NETWORK
Volunteering Week
September 2020

In the months of April 2018 - October 2020 in Malësi e Madhe was implemented the project 'FoRuM' funded by the European Union within the IPA instrument and implemented by VIS Albania. After 26 months of commitment from the young volunteers and the group Slow Food Youth Network, youth enthusiasm launches the invitation in organizing Volunteering Week. [Take part]

STRENGTHEN RURAL DEMOCRACY
Open meeting with rural youth
21st - 25th of October 2020

The activity aims to increase the capacity of young people in 10 villages of Himara Municipality, as the most active part in these rural areas, regarding the use of technology in good co-government. The project framing it is named "Strengthening Rural Democracy" and is supported by the Small Grants Program of the Democracy Commission of the US Embassy in Tirana. [Read more]

Rozeta Gradeci - a woman in love with the North!
When you look at Rozeta, you can easily notice her smiling portrait and the dynamism that emanates from her. She has been working with dedication for more than 20 years with the Italian Association COSPE - Cooperation for the Development of Countries in Emergency Situations, which contributes to the development of rural territories of Northern Albania from the Zadrima Plain to the Municipality of Vau i Dejes, Shkodra, Fushë Arrëzit, Puka, Lezha etc. Born in Tirana, she graduated in Natural Sciences at the University of Tirana, later specializing home and abroad for the sustainable development of communities and the management of international projects. The long and passionate work on the ground implementation of projects in rural territories has made Rozeta know firsthand and be connected with the whole economic and social development chain of these areas starting from the inter-municipal planning of regional policies and local strategies, capacity building for public institutions and those of agricultural vocational education, promotion of organic agriculture and its organized forms, rural tourism models as well as support for women and young farmers engaged in agriculture. For the time being, her greatest passion remains the Local Genetic Bank of the Community, set up near the High Vocational School "Ndre Mjeda" Bushat, Shkodra, the first of its kind in Albania, in which an inventory of about 160 indigenous varieties of vegetables, beans, cereals has been created for the purpose of preserving, producing and distributing them to the surrounding farmers, contributing to the preservation of biodiversity and local tradition - an invaluable cultural and material heritage for the next generations. Rozeta speaks lovingly of the rural communities and territories of Northern Albania she has worked across: “They are very rich in customs, history, communication models that respect the working man as well as help and exchange with each other. These areas conserve the traditions and knowledge of the past generations for agricultural works, following the lunar cycle for pruning, planting or other works, preserving their autochthonous seeds thus contributing to the diversity of products and local heritage of different varieties. Her challenge for the coming years is to contribute that these rural communities be represented, supported, and have their voice in local institutions, as well as become more and more aware of the strong role they have for the development of rural areas.