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Italy-Albania: 25 years of Development Cooperation
Seven-day event in Tirana, focusing on the future
02 November, 10:31
(ANSA) - TIRANA - Italian Development Cooperation celebrates 25
years of presence in Albania with a series of events starting
today and for a whole week. ''Doors of Tomorrow'' is a unitary
event and presents an overall picture of the great friendship
between the two countries'', Alberto Cutillo, Ambassador of
Italy to Tirana, explained to ANSA, saying that ''this is not
only a celebratory moment, but looks to the future as well''.
This is the goal of six individual events that will take place until November 8, focusing on the most important ongoing interventions of Italian Cooperation, such as Italian-Albanian debt conversion program, protection of victims of abuse, protection of environmental heritage, children, sustainable development in rural areas and professional training. ''These issues are of great importance to Albania. The six meetings are six doors that remain open to dialogue and joint projects'' Ambassador Cutillo said. These events will take place at the COD, Center for Openness and Dialogue, at the Office of Albanian head of government, where an art installation made up of 7 works inspired by Arte Povera/Poor Art is on display, created by Ernesto Spinelli and produced in collaboration with Albanian artists. The opening ceremony this evening was also attended by Albania's vice-premier Senida Mesi.
In 25 years of activity, Development Cooperation has adapted to the country's growth. Initially focusing on humanitarian aid and interventions needed to build the basic infrastructures which were either completely absent or underdeveloped in the 1990s, now its activity is about human development, problems of growth and protection of the weakest members of society. Italy has given more than 800 million euros to finance all these projects, and further interventions will be made thanks to the fruitful relationship developed between institutions and bodies of the two countries. ''Therefore, the Development Cooperation activity should not be assessed exclusively on the basis of the financial indicator, which is still quite high compared to other donors and partners of Albania'', explained to ANSA Nino Merola, Director of Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Albania. (ANSA).
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This is the goal of six individual events that will take place until November 8, focusing on the most important ongoing interventions of Italian Cooperation, such as Italian-Albanian debt conversion program, protection of victims of abuse, protection of environmental heritage, children, sustainable development in rural areas and professional training. ''These issues are of great importance to Albania. The six meetings are six doors that remain open to dialogue and joint projects'' Ambassador Cutillo said. These events will take place at the COD, Center for Openness and Dialogue, at the Office of Albanian head of government, where an art installation made up of 7 works inspired by Arte Povera/Poor Art is on display, created by Ernesto Spinelli and produced in collaboration with Albanian artists. The opening ceremony this evening was also attended by Albania's vice-premier Senida Mesi.
In 25 years of activity, Development Cooperation has adapted to the country's growth. Initially focusing on humanitarian aid and interventions needed to build the basic infrastructures which were either completely absent or underdeveloped in the 1990s, now its activity is about human development, problems of growth and protection of the weakest members of society. Italy has given more than 800 million euros to finance all these projects, and further interventions will be made thanks to the fruitful relationship developed between institutions and bodies of the two countries. ''Therefore, the Development Cooperation activity should not be assessed exclusively on the basis of the financial indicator, which is still quite high compared to other donors and partners of Albania'', explained to ANSA Nino Merola, Director of Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Albania. (ANSA).
