2. Current cultural affairs
Albania
Last update: January, 2022
Key developments
The Government’s culture department has stabilised since 2013 as the Ministry of Culture, (no longer covering sport/tourism/youth) and has remained in the same location with just 2 ministers holding office, compared to the period from 2000-2010 in which the office relocated three times and changed ministers 9 times.
Albania was granted EU Candidate Status in 2014 and Albanian citizens opening travel to 98 countries without an advance Visa, including the Schengen Area since 2010. In 2021 Albanians can travel visa-free (or visa on arrival) to 115 countries. Albanians will be required to apply for the new European travel permit, ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System), to visit Schengen countries once it is introduced by the end of 2022.
Albania regularly participates in international activities like Art Biennale and the Venice Architecture Biennale, book fairs in Leipzig, Turin and other important international activities and the 2017-2021 Governing Programme56 once again outlined the “European Albania” identity.
The period of 2019-2021 saw significant disruptions to cultural activity caused by a large earthquake in 2019 that saw damage to 14,000 buildings, including historic fortifications and other national monuments, followed by the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020-2021.
The Governance Programme 2017-202157 prepared by the Socialist Party for “The Albania that we Love” (Shqipërinë që Duam), a European Albania, expresses the vision of “Albanian Renaissance” (Rilindje për Shqipërinë) and the building of “Albania of the New Generation” (Shqipëria e Gjeneratës Tjetër). This document outlines the improvements in well-being, public services, competitive entrepreneurship, justice reforms, etc. The priority for culture58 includes: improving quality standards for culture products, intensification of investments in the sector, independence of the cultural sector from the public institutions by increasing sources of funding and through public-private partnership, and the use of culture as an economic and tourism source. Among the major projects mentioned in the document, several have been completed or are close to completion like the restoration of the Theatre of Ballet and Opera, multi-functional art centre Turbina, requalification and re-conceptualisation of the National History Museum, reconstruction of the National Library, and rehabilitation of the National Arts Gallery. There have been no developments in relation to the new Museum of Contemporary Arts.
Education is also a focus to be achieved in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, rehabilitation of heritage and tourism development through itineraries like Via Egnatia Streets of Memories, restoration of historic centres in villages, etc. The 2017-2021 Governance Plan also refers to “the Construction of the New National Theatre”, which is currently underway.
Albania has joined several of the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes such as the Olive Tree Route, Aeneas Route and ATRIUM Route.
The Transparency Programme - Based on article 7 of law nr. 119/2014 - “On the right to information” states that the Public Authority should publish easily understandable and accessible information on websites, including the organizational structure, functions and duties of the public authority, conventions, laws and bylaws, codes of conduct, policy documents and so on. The Transparency Programme was approved by the Commissioner for the Right to Information and Protection of Personal Data.
Capital investments include ArTurbina in Tirana, Migjeni Theater in Shkodra, Çajupi Theater in Korça, AirAlbania Stadium in Tirana and the new National Theatre
Applications of technology in the culture and heritage field include the establishment of the WebGIS platform for the management of archaeological activity in the field, of the Archaeological Service Agency (ASA)15 for the period 2008-2015; building a WebGIS application for mapping and inventory of objects designated as cultural monuments; digitalization of National Library funds; and digitization of the photo library for the Marubi Museum.
Last update: January, 2022
Cultural rights and ethics
The basic framework of cultural rights and ethics in Albania is the Constitution (see 4.1.1). Albania has signed the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions but has not signed the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.
Last update: January, 2022
Role of artists and cultural professionals
Albania has ratified international conventions affirming the importance of arts and culture (UNESCO, European Council, etc.) and has updated national policies of inclusion, diversity, etc. Cultural professionals and artists have essential roles in exemplifying and improving these standards. This also includes striving to create better conditions, opportunities, encouraging talent, addressing inequalities, and increasing the visibility of arts and culture locally and internationally.
Last update: January, 2022
Digital policy and developments
Mass digital broadcasting began with the approval of Prime Ministerial Order No 7 of 2.06.2009 "On the establishment of an ad hoc Committee for the switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting”. This was followed by the approval of the transition strategy by the Council of Ministers Decision Nr. 292/2012 “On approval of a strategy of transition from analogue to digital broadcasting”. Law nr. 97/2013 “On audiovisual media in the Republic of Albania” was approved in March 2013, with Article 136 covering the full transition to digital broadcasting. The entire television sector has now been switched over to digital TV.
Digital technology in education was covered in the National Strategy for Education 2014-2020 where it was planned that by 2018, high schools would be equipped with the functional infrastructure needed to make use of digital content in teaching; and by 2018, digital school mapping would become operational, providing a virtual network for high schools.
The Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Innovation and Public Administration have prepared the strategy Digital Agenda of Albania 2015-202059. Ongoing digitalization of Albanian culture can be seen in the increasing content of material available online, the increase of digital software and information in the Albanian language, as well as the increase of technology in the country. The population has dramatically embraced the internet, and new innovations are occurring as is support for new inventors.
Government documents and strategies are now readily available online. The data from the National Library and Ministry of Culture show that the number of digitized pages increased by 18% from 5,884 pages to 107,704 pages between 2013-2015 and publications and translations supported by the Ministry of Culture had quadrupled in that time.
Archaeology is also benefiting from new innovations, such as 3D imaging technology for scanning and mapping underwater heritage, as The Albanian National Coastline Agency and the non-profit RPM Nautical Foundation had by 2017 mapped about one-third of Albania's coast, scanning 38 shipwrecks in the Ionian Sea, six of them more than 2,000 years old. Other 3D mapping of land heritage has been completed by the Construction Technologies Institute of the National Research Council of Italy with the Institute of Monuments of Culture of Albania.
The Ministry of Culture signed a Memorandum of Understanding, with the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF), to establish the Digital Platform for the Cultural Heritage Sector (or Digitalization Centre) as a unit of the Institute of Cultural Monuments. This follows the 650,000 USD project "Empowering museums through technology" funded by AADF for the National Museum of Medieval Art in Korça and the National Museum of Iconography ONUFRI in Berat. In 2019, the Ministry of Culture started the establishment of the National Digitalization Centre to make Albanian cultural assets accessible and available to research worldwide.
Likewise, various archives are quickly digitizing their collections, from the Marubi photographs dating as far back as 1858, to the feature films and animations from decades ago being digitally re-mastered. The Institute of Monuments of Culture has published a 200 page magazine twice a year since 1971 called Revista “Monumentet”, all of which are now available in digital format on the IMK website60.
All of these efforts were accelerated in response to the Covid-19 pandemic with the need to offer access to culture through various online tools and platforms, such as an online 3D version of the National Gallery of Arts. In 2020, Kosovo and Albania agreed to jointly create a Pristina-Tirana “digital 5G corridor”. The memorandum laid out plans for the countries to cooperate in drafting policies for the development of the 5G network. As of July 1, 2021 roaming charges across Western Balkan countries were abolished61.
Last update: January, 2022
National / international intercultural dialogue
Through the arts, religion, academia, diaspora, tourism, government events, embassies and civil society, Albania has invested increasingly in diverse intercultural dialogue, beginning with the change of the political regime in 1990. There are ongoing regional Balkan youth initiatives on reconciliation and collaboration using intercultural learning and non-violent communication approaches.
2008 was the European Union Designated Year for Intercultural Dialogue. A 2009 National Strategy on Intercultural, Interfaith and Interethnic Dialogue62 was prepared, following up on Albania’s membership in the Group of Friends to the Alliance of Civilizations and the recommendations by the High-Level Group of the General Secretary of the UN in 2006. The strategy was based on documents like the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, AoC documents as well and a commitment of the Government of Albania to achieve the standards of the framework of the Euro-Atlantic integration, and the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions63 in areas including education, youth, emigration and media.
The Institute for Romani Culture in Albania64 (IRCA), established in 2011, is a Roma NGO that stands for a multi-ethnic and inclusive society, and is very active in activities about intercultural understanding, reconciliation and acceptance.
Further steps were taken with the establishment of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) on July 4, 2016, an independently functioning institutional mechanism, founded by the Western Balkans 6 Prime Ministers and participants (WB 6), an initiative of the Berlin Process65: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia aim to promote the spirit of reconciliation and cooperation between the youth in the region through youth exchange programmes. NGOs like International Voluntary Projects (Projekte Vullnetare Nderkombetare66), International Co-operative Centre (ICC), Universal Peace Federation (UPF), Institute for Activism and Social Change (IANS) and others also do important work in intercultural dialogue. Universities, programmes like Erasmus + and other academic exchanges, including religious institutions, also play a role.
Nationally, there are ongoing efforts to increase awareness of the Roma language and Culture at all education levels and recognize Roma culture as part of Albania’s cultural heritage, as well as the importance of Roma youth participation in decision-making, public life, and the importance of professional qualifications.
Last update: January, 2022
Education
The fields of study commonly regarded as cultural education in Albania are Arts, Humanities and Languages, Journalism and Information, and Architecture and Construction. In the academic year 2020-2167, 17,954 post- secondary students were enrolled in fields of study related to culture, marking 14.5% of the total, with a slight decrease from the previous academic year. For 2020-2021, Languages and Architecture and Construction are the most preferred fields of study representing 39.9% and 29.4% of the total number of students enrolled in fields related to culture. Specialisations within the field of cultural education include tourism, culture, languages, heritage, music, film/tv, dance, fine arts, sculpture, etc.
All educational institutions in Albania operate under the jurisdiction of the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Education, Sports & Youth. The Council of Europe documents on Language education policy profile 2015-201768 and Country Report 201669 provide detailed information on this topic.
The UNESCO Student Mobility Number for Albania in 2018 was 17,448 post-secondary students studying abroad, representing 13.5% of all students in 2018, of which 60% were studying in Italy.
According to the National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) the number of degrees received in Arts and Humanities for 2017-2018 were 3,512, with an increase to 3,746 for 2018-2019 and a decrease to 3,578 in 2019-202070. However, the registration statistics in education shows that for Arts and Humanities there was a steady decrease in registrations, with 14,348 registrations in 2018-2019, 12,537 in 2019-2020, and 10,972 in 2020-202171
Last update: January, 2022
Media pluralism and content diversity
The Ethical Code of the Albanian Media Institute72, created in 1996 and revised in 2006, states that journalists "have the right to obtain information, to publish, and to criticise. Information should be truthful, balanced and verified”. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), journalism in Albania is in a “problematic state”73. A joint research project between Reporters Without Borders and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania revealed that Albanian media is mostly controlled by a few major owners with strong political affiliations, which control more than half of the audience share and nearly 90% of the market share and the top four owners in Albania’s Television market reach an audience of between 48.93% to 58,60%74. Across all media sectors the top eight owners reach an audience of 72,1% to 80.1%.
The International Press Institute has highlighted challenges including physical attacks and smear campaigns against the press that are critical of the government. The Freedom House 2021 country report gives 2/4 points - “Are there free and independent media?” - The Freedom House rating for Independent Media rating declined from 3.75 to 3.50 out of 7, reflecting the legal and verbal harassment of independent journalists by politicians and power brokers, along with intimidation and prosecution of journalists for allegedly spreading panic.
In 2018 the Government set to amend the laws 97/2013 and later 9918/2020 in what was known as “the anti-defamation package”. The Albanian government continued to push for the amendments despite criticisms from civil society, the OSCE and the Venice Commission Opinion Nr. 980/2020 of 19 June 2020. The new provisions aim to grant the Albanian Media Authority the power to adopt restrictive measures, including the forced removal of content.
Difficulties have also arisen during the Covid pandemic, with measures of allowing only 2 people in a studio at one time. A Reporters Without Borders75 (RSF) report stated that “At the start of the coronavirus crisis, Prime Minister Edi Rama urged the public to “protect themselves against the media” and refused to help when the pandemic exacerbated the media’s financial problems to the point that newspapers stopped producing print editions for about six weeks”. This period, in addition to overall decline in print media sales, has driven media salaries down, discouraging independent reporting.
Last update: January, 2022
Language
Albanian is an Indo-European language, a single branch in the Indo-European tree. The Gheg dialect is spoken in Northern Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia, while Tosk has been the basis for the official dialect of standard Albanian, recognised officially in 1972.
Article 14 of the Albanian Constitution states "The official language in the Republic of Albania is Albanian"; nonetheless, many Albanians speak multiple languages fluently and the country has a long history of inter-cultural exchange through the use of many languages.
For the 2020-2021 academic year among post-secondary students enrolled in fields of study relating to culture, 39.9% were studying languages, with women representing the majority76. Among foreign languages learned by pupils in schools, English is by far the most common followed by French, Italian, German and others. Cooperation agreements have allowed certain Albanian schools to offer language study and examinations that are recognized for post-secondary admissions abroad.
Albania has been a full member of the International Organization of La Francophonie since 1999. Through the Ministry of Education and the Embassy of France, work in pre-university education has helped align Albanian education with European standards and the promotion of the French language.
The country has a wide diaspora throughout the world and in 2010, the Ministry of Education designed and approved “The Integrated Programme for the Teaching of the Albanian Language in the Diaspora”, to support and maintain the language and culture by providing complementary teaching to the children of emigrants living in other countries. Textbooks were published in 2011-2012 and distributed free of charge to schools that requested them. In 2015, The Ministry of Education of Albania and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kosovo signed the agreement “On the joint organization of the teaching of the Albanian language and culture in the diaspora and migration”, with the view that the diaspora benefits from a joint approach to the teaching of the Albanian language and culture abroad.
The Albanian government officially recognized the Albanian Sign Language in 2012 by the Council of Ministers Decision Nr. 837, based on article 102 of the Constitution and Law Nr. 69/2012 “On Pre-university Education in the Republic of Albania”, where article 63 stipulates: “People who do not hear and speak are entitled to the right of communication in sign language.” Albanian Braille is the braille alphabet for writing the Albanian language and is based on international braille.
With the mission to preserve, promote and support the Albanian language, the Centre for Diaspora Publications at the Ministry of Diaspora for the school year 2019-2020, distributed 12,000 educational books in Albanian language in 19 different countries77.
Last update: January, 2022
Gender
Albania has been actively working towards gender equality including a balanced participation of women and men in decision-making processes and a reduction in discrimination and gender-based violence, among many issues.
The current State Cabinet in 2021 has a majority of women, with females as 12 of 17 cabinet ministers and Albania ranks first according to the United Nations’ general classification for the number of women in the government, up from 5th with the previous government. Women represent over 50 percent of the Albanian government and 30 percent of Parliament. Also, 50 percent of senior management positions in public administration are held by women.
The UN Women’s Global SDG Database78 gives Albania a score of 90.9 percent for overall legislative frameworks on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (GEEW); 91.7 percent for overall legislative frameworks on Gender-Based Violence (GBV); 70 percent for overall legislative frameworks on Employment and Economic empowerment; and 90.9 percent for overall legislative frameworks on Marriage and Families. All the while, violence against women / gender- based violence remains widespread and the U.N. reports that this is an issue for more than 50 percent of women in Albania.
Albania has ratified Protocol Nr. 12 to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and was a signatory to the 2007 UN Declaration on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
In 2008 Albania passed Law Nr. 9970/2008 on “Gender Equality in Albania” and Law Nr. 10221/2010 "For the Protection from Discrimination" in 2010. By order of the Council of Ministers Nr. 537/2011, Albania adopted its first “National Strategy for Gender Equality, Reduction of Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence, 2011-2015”.
The Council of Europe “Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence” (Istanbul Convention) was ratified by Albanian Law Nr. 104/2012, entering into force in 2014.
In their 2012 report, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) stated that of the 1300 Albanians employed as artisans, 78% of those were women.
In June 2016, the government passed the National Action Plan for LGBTI that would address bullying and LGBT discrimination in primary and secondary education with lectures and other activities. This was implemented and received some pushback from parents and teachers.
Women represent about 66% of total enrolment in post-secondary cultural fields of study in 2020, while the majority of employed workers in cultural fields are men, constituting nearly 57% in 202079.
A National Strategy “On the establishment and functioning of the inter-institutional working group for drafting the gender equality strategic document for 2016-2020”80 was prepared by The Inter-institutional Working Group by the Order of the Prime Minister Nr. 15/2016. Direct preparation of the strategy included a representative of the Ministry of Culture as well as the Ministry being included in consultations during the drafting of the strategy.
Last update: January, 2022
Disability
In February 2013, Albania ratified the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Article 30 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) provides that State Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to participate in equal terms with others in cultural life.
The Constitution of the Republic of Albania states:
- Article 18: All are equal before the law. No one shall be unjustly discriminated against for reasons such as gender, race, religion, ethnicity, language, political, religious or philosophical beliefs, economic, educational, social or parental affiliation.
- Article 18 guarantees this right also for persons with disabilities who, although not directly mentioned, are included in Constitutional Court decisions.
- Article 58: Freedom of artistic creation and of scientific research, putting into use and the benefit of their achievements are guaranteed to all.
The Law on the Inclusion and Accessibility of Persons with Disabilities stipulates that all public or private institutions have the obligation to ensure accessibility for all types of disabilities in accessing these areas: housing, transport, health, social care, education, employment and other services and opportunities through participation in all spheres of life, including family, community and civic life (including cultural life). For the detailed duties and responsibilities of these institutions, the law requires the adoption of a decision approved by the Council of Ministers Nr. 1074/2015 "On the Determination of Measures to Eliminate Communication and Infrastructure Disadvantages in the Provision of Public Services for Persons with Disabilities".
Last update: January, 2022
Culture and social inclusion
The Social Inclusion Strategy was approved in 2008 by the Council of Ministers. The Inter-sectoral Strategy on Social Inclusion (2007–2013), also referred to as the National Strategy on Social Inclusion (NSSI), is a policy document under the National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI).
The UNDP in Albania has supported projects focussed on the social inclusion of Roma and Egyptian communities as well as Persons with Disabilities, among other development projects. UNDP Albania also works on building capacities of institutions at central and local levels to enhance participation of civil society and citizens as rights holders in the national social inclusion processes. They have supported the development of the “Policy Document for Social Inclusion 2016 – 2020”81 including a set of national indicators on social inclusion based on qualitative analysis on the most vulnerable categories of the population; “National Social Housing Strategy 2016 - 2025”; and “Action Plan on Persons with Disabilities (2016 – 2020)”82. These and other issues are key to EU accession related commitments.
In 2015, The Albanian Government committed to the UN Agenda 2030, and began implementing policies to achieve Millennium Development goals including reducing poverty, improving social inclusion, empowering women and improving education, as part of 140 SDG targets83. A key Millennium Development Goal was to eradicate extreme poverty and reduce the risk of social exclusion. Programmes were implemented to encourage the use of cultural heritage to create jobs for poor communities, strengthen national identity and attract investments and tourism. In 2018, people “At Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion” was estimated at 49.0 %, down from 51.8 % in 2017. The number of those with dependent children was 27.0% compared to 15.2% without dependent children.
In 2017 The HARP Project led by the NGO Ekphrasis Studio, with funding from UNESCO IFCD, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Municipality of Tirana to develop Albania’s first policy recommendations and action plan84 on accessible arts in public spaces, focused on social inclusion and participation in the cultural use and development of public spaces using a bottom-up approach. It was presented in 2019 and made publicly available.
The law Nr. 102/2020 for Regional Development and Cohesion outlines "Cohesion" as the interaction of the economic, environmental, social and cultural levels between and within different regions of development, with a goal to eliminate inequalities between them. It specifically mentions the inclusion of art, culture, creative industries and cultural heritage actors, agencies and institutions in regional development.
The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities to the Council of Europe, pursuant to Article 25, paragraph 2 of 2021, recommends that the Ministry of Culture allocates 5% of grants for individuals who have applied and belong to national minorities in open calls for grants.
Last update: January, 2022
Societal impacts of arts
Old and new traditions, amateur and professional creative practices and arts education contribute to the social cohesion of the country. A well maintained oral history of cultural heritage has kept many figures, stories, symbols and traditions active in various art forms. A major part of Albanian tourism campaigns are focussed on cultural heritage, and the development of heritage sites including workshops, marketplaces, guesthouses and more offering increasing economic benefits and has played a role in preserving traditional knowledge and skills while also helping lift people out of poverty85.
A strong sense of national identity exists and many symbols are regularly depicted in art, such as the eagle and the national flag, however many have explored innovative and creative international approaches to their artistic creation with a wider world view.
National reading campaigns and book fairs contribute to the literacy of the population, the development of local authors and access to diverse information.
Last update: January, 2022
Cultural sustainability
In 2020, there were 19,004 individuals employed in a cultural activity or occupation, representing 1.5% of total employment. Nearly 57% of those were male, and the number of females employed in the field is increasing. While young people aged 15-29 account for only 21.9% of total employment in the country, their share of employment in culture is higher, at 34.0% in 2020.
In 2020, public expenditures in this field are 6,842 million ALL. These expenditures account for 1.3 % of total public expenditures for 2020 and account for 0.4 % of total GDP. Compared to 2019, public expenditures on Entertainment, Culture and Religious Affairs expressed as a percentage of GDP have not changed, while public expenditures expressed as a percentage of total public expenditures have decreased slightly86.
Last update: January, 2022
Other main cultural policy issues
Sources of further information:
- Albania Covid-19 and Culture Report 2019-2021, Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends87
- Socio-economic impact assessment of Covid-19 on cultural and creative sectors in Albania, Commissioned by UNESCO, through its Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of Albania, 202088