Elbasan is hosting the European Local Democracy Week for the first time at an event of this scale, with the participation of 135 organizations from Albania, European countries and countries associated with the European Union, as well as international partners.
The opening ceremony took place at “Gensher” square, where the information stands of participating organizations have been set up, creating spaces to present their activities and interact directly with citizens. The event will continue for three days, with more than 55 panels and forums in the premises of the Municipality of Elbasan, focusing on local democracy, public consultation, transparency and citizen participation in decision-making.
Mayor of Elbasan Municipality, Gledian Llatja, stressed that the choice of Elbasan is linked to the city’s tradition in communicating with citizens through participatory budgeting, public consultations and other forms of dialogue with the community. He underlined that the aim is to build sustainable bridges of cooperation between local government, central institutions, citizens and civil society organizations.
“We want the voice of the citizen in Elbasan in our decisions. We want the voice of organizations and civil society to make right decisions, to be as close as possible to citizens, but also to understand what does not work well in local or central decision-making“, Llatja said.
He announced that for two years, the Municipality of Elbasan has been receiving expertise from Norway for organizing activities and developing forms of public debate, with the aim of making this week a sustainable tradition for the city.
Ambassador Michel Tarran also attended the opening ceremony and praised the importance of this initiative for Elbasan and Albania. He said that the current moment the country is going through makes the organization of such activities even more important, as they create and strengthen channels of dialogue and consultation with citizens.
The ambassador stressed that these spaces should be encouraged and expanded, since civil society plays an essential role in strengthening democracy, increasing the transparency and accountability of public institutions, and ensuring more inclusive decision-making processes. He also underlined that civil society organizations help strengthen the link between citizens and institutions, creating opportunities for constructive dialogue and giving more space to different opinions and perspectives.
Over the three days, the program will include discussions on transparency in local governance and public consultation, intercultural dialogue, as well as cultural, sports and creative activities for young people. Alongside the discussions, citizens can visit the stands at “Gensher” square and get a closer look at the initiatives and activities of participating organizations.
