On December 7, 2022, we celebrated the finalization of ARISE ALL, a two-year initiative, funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund, Migration Office of the Belgian Federal Office for Home Affairs, and the Repatriation and Deportation Service of the Netherlands. 

Divided into two panel sessions, we emphasized the importance of synergies and partnerships for promoting safe and regular migration and shared achievements of the awareness raising nationwide campaign “Albania Is YOU!”

"The campaign tried to raise awareness and change current perceptions and behaviors on migration, as well as to propose responses to the main challenges and needs through continuous coordination with stakeholders", said Alma Jani, IOM Albania Head of Office. 

While, Laura Lungarotti, Sub-Regional Coordinator for IOM Western Balkans, greeted the conference through a video message – “Sharing proper information about migration challenges and opportunities is very important, now more than ever since migration is placed at the centre of the European Union negotiations for Albania, but also because the country has seen an increase of departures towards the EU.  

On the first panel, we discussed migration dynamics and shared recommendations in a panel among the UN Resident Coordinator for Albania, Fiona Mccluney, Artemis Malo, Deputy Minister of for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Silvana Banushi from the Ministry of Interior, Sofia Reis Cabral from the European Commission, Directorate-General, Sien Van den Hoof, from the Embassy of the Netherlands in Albania and Mirela Sula, representing Albanian Diaspora.

Present at the event, Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Artemis Malo, valued the #AlbaniaIsYOU campaign and the engagement of the Albanian diaspora in the Netherlands and Belgium – “It has brought together institutions and communities by appreciating the contribution of the diaspora to the awareness of migration & the importance to exchange information beyond Albania”.

On the second session, panelists Iris Buzi from IDRA Research & Consulting, Ardit Gabili from the Albanian School of Public Administration, Polikseni Kycyku from IOM and Kristi Cina from United Nations Association Albania, explored the elements of the campaign, starting from its initial assessment research to the online open course for professionals, the network of 14 peer-to-peer "influencers" and youth migration issues.