10 Albanian pupils to participate in “EuroMed-Scola”

TIRANA, Nov 16 – Ten Albanian pupils have been selected through a competitive procedure to take part in the programme “EuroMed-Scola.”
Last week they met with Ambassador Helmuth Lohan of the EC Delegation to Albania, Frecn Ambassador Maryse Daviet and Albanian Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha.
“EuroMed-Scola” is a programme that aims at promoting among youths values such as tolerance, freedom, peace and respect for human rights. It therefore brings together secondary school pupils from the age of 16 to 18, from the 27 EU Member States and 12 states of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership to discuss, debate and adopt resolutions on matters concerning the Union for Mediterranean / Barcelona Process and on issues of common interest for the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. This year, which is also the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, is the first time that Albania will be represented in the programme.
As part of the programme, from the 16th to the 17th November, the ten Albanian pupils will travel to Strasbourg where, together with other fellow pupils from different countries, they will be introduced to the European Parliament activity and will take part in seminars where different issues will be discussed. Simulating the work of the members of the EP, they will first sit in “Committee Sessions” and then in a “Plenary Session”, where they will debate and adopt resolutions. All the financial costs incurred from the participation in this event will be covered by the European Union.
Lohan noted that “Albania is participating in this programme for the first time at the initiative of the European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering. We are very glad that 10 young Albanians will be together with their European and Mediterranean colleagues and attend this important forum of dialogue and exchange. It is a good opportunity for them personally, but also in general for Albanian youth as this is part of Albania’s overall integration in European structures at large.”