In Korça on October 4, Cultural Heritage without Borders – Albania (CHwB Albania), The Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF), the Ministry of Culture, and the University of Tirana held a ceremony to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU affirms the commitment of the parties to extend the Regional Restoration Camps (RRC) Program, by organizing each year 4 (four) additional RRC in Albania. The scope is to provide knowledge and practical experience to the Master program students of the “Cultural Heritage Management and Archaeology”, at the Faculty of History and Philology, of University pf Tirana. The RRC Program is going to be delivered as part of the Master’s and Bachelor’s curriculum and it will provide preferential consideration for employment to graduates that successfully complete 4 (four) RRC, during their Master studies.
The MoU was signed by the Head of CHwB Albania, Lejla Hadžić, the Chairman of the Board of Trusties at AADF, Michael D. Granoff, the Minister of Culture, Mirela Kumbaro and a representative from the University of Tirana.
Ms. Hadžić welcomed the opportunity to conclude the MoU with AADF and the partners, and acknowledged the important contribution that RRC can give in providing highest standards in boosting the knowledge necessary for accurate and sustainable preservation of cultural heritage.
She highlighted that the main objectives of the Regional Restoration Camps are to use cultural heritage to build relations among young professionals, creating conditions for reconciliation as a prerequisite for democracy, and to preserve traditional crafts and techniques.
Mr. Grannof was pleased to acknowledge that the four partners laid the foundation for a successful collaboration that intend to enhance the potential and capacity of human resources in the field of Cultural Heritage.
He stressed the key role RRC has within the operational framework of CHwB Albania. Moreover Mr. Grannof emphasized that the best investment for cultural heritage is in education and training and CHwB is providing these perfectly.
The Minister of Culture, Mirela Kumbaro, expressed how delighted she was with the signed MoU. She thanked the partners for funding the project and for the trust they have shown. Ms. Kumbaro said that we must join forces to preserve the knowledge and passion for the cultural heritage.
“CHwB Albania is working with us, has worked beyond us, and independently of us. CHwB Albania speaks the language of culture, but it also serves as a school of restoration of cultural heritage sites while it also builds relations. The works CHwB does with children and young people is the wisest thing one could do, as it transmits knowledge to the younger generations”, Minister Kumbaro stated.
Commenting on how proud ChwB Albania is to have signed an MoU with the Ministry of Culture, AADF and the University of Tirana, Lejla Hadžić said that she looks forward to a long and fruitful relationship where CHwB Albania and the partners offer RRC participants the opportunity to work together to restore and build the future that unite us.