TIRANA, April 22  /ATA/ On Earth Day, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Environment, and the European Union Delegation to Albania launched the National Campaign and Movement “Protect Nature, While You Still Can” at the “Musine Kokalari” school.

This initiative is intended to place schools and young people at the forefront of biodiversity conservation efforts in Albania. The Minister of Education, Mirela Kumbaro, emphasized that, in addition to the formal curriculum, environmental education play a significant role in extracurricular activities, offering concrete actions and learning opportunities through interactive methods such as play.

“We streamline environmental protection topics not only in the school curriculum but also in after-school programs. This aspect, which many of you enjoy the most, allows you to engage in activities such as planting flowers, playing with a ball, and participating in various fun games that offer learning opportunities. Environmental education is an integral part of this program. We will implement this initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Environment, and the European Union, of which we are all a part. This is something you will contribute to! Keep your school, home, streets, and neighborhoods clean, and Albania will be even more beautiful than it is, thanks to you,” stated Minister Kumbaro.

Minister of Environment, Sofjan Jaupaj, conveyed the message to children that everyone can become ambassador for protection of Albania’s rich biodiversity: “I believe that all of you should become ambassadors for nature. Let us unite with the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Education, and the European Union to be ambassadors for nature. What does it mean to be an ambassador for nature? It means not throwing waste on the ground, but disposing of trash in the designated bin, telling your parents not to pollute the environment, and talking to your friends about how to protect nature and biodiversity.”

The European Union Ambassador to Albania, Silvio Gonzato, on the other hand, stated: “Together with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Environment, we recognize that each of us has a very important role to play in the future of our planet. Each of us can contribute to this goal—by reusing, recycling, cleaning up waste, planting trees, or conserving energy. To raise awareness of this shared responsibility, we have launched a campaign to help young people understand Albania’s rich biodiversity and what they can do to protect it

On this day, students planted flowers and placed birdhouses on the trees at their school, while in schools across the country, students and teachers celebrated Earth Day and the launch of the “Protect Nature, While You Still Can” campaign with messages and concrete actions in schools and communities.

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