The “Political Academy 2022” concludes, which is based on the program “Supporting Democracy in the Western Balkans – Progress and Connecting Bridges of Cooperation” in collaboration with the Kalevi Sorsa Foundation, with a tailored curriculum that includes two intensive and interactive modules, designed as a combination of theoretical presentations and practical cases for participants.
The formation of future political leaders is an important aspect of improving the policy-making process. Through capacity building at the national level, the Political Academy 2022 aims to foster critical thinking, train, identify and promote individuals who have ambitions and wish to be an active part of political life in the country. Through the Political Academy, participants had the opportunity to gain a broader understanding of the complex political, social, and economic environment and to become familiar with the important process of integration into the European Union. The objective of the Political Academy is to provide participants with knowledge and technical expertise to enhance their abilities to formulate accurate political arguments.
The second and final module of the 2022 Political Academy took place on October 1-2, 2022 in Shëngjin, Albania. This module was opened with a speech by the Executive Director of the Foundation, Mr. Ledjon Shahini and was greeted by Ms. Jelenca Simic, Program Manager for the partner organization (Kalevi Sorsa Foundation). In the framework of the cooperation with the Finnish organization, the first session was held by Mr. Antti Ronkainen, a researcher at the University of Helsinki regarding economic policies. This session, held in English, discussed European Integration and political cooperation from the period of the European crisis to the development of the Russia-Ukraine war. Following this, Mr. Gledis Gjipali, Executive Director of the European Movement in Albania, held a session on the history of Albania’s European integration and membership negotiations, paying special attention to the negotiation chapters and the negotiation strategy with European institutions.
At the end of the first day, participants had the opportunity to visit the Shengjin Castle to learn more about the historical and tourist attractions of our country and at the same time to develop networking among participants.
The second day of the module began with numerous discussions regarding the challenges of integration and the prospects of accession to the European Union for Albania.
At the closing of the 2022 Political Academy, Ms. Romina Kuko, Deputy Minister of Interior and also part of the Foundation’s board of directors, held the discussion on Chapter 22 of the European Integration Negotiations: Regional Policies and Coordination of Structural Instruments, in her capacity as the person responsible for this chapter.
At the end of the training, a certificate distribution ceremony took place, where participants were free to express their comments and evaluation of the Political Academy 2022 program.
