Swiss Ambassador Ruth Huber welcomed representatives from central and local government, civil society, religious communities, the diplomatic community and the media. This year’s event celebrated the close ties between Switzerland and Albania, with a heartfelt speech by Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha.

Ambassador Huber highlighted the excellent bilateral relations between Switzerland and Albania.

During the reception, visitors had the opportunity to receive gifts: high-quality olive oil and aromatic plants sponsored by Albanian businesses that have been supported through the Swiss Cooperation Program over the years. The guests also enjoyed traditional raclette, Swiss desserts, and Chardonnay and Merlot wines from the cantons of Vaud and Ticino. While dynamic videos showcased the beauty of Switzerland along with memorable moments from the many projects that Switzerland has supported and implemented in Albania over the years./a.f/p.s./

The students of this school have studied according to the program of the Swiss school École Hôtelière de Lausanne, a diploma that is very valuable in the labor market, guaranteeing competitive conditions and salaries, similar to those in European countries.

During her speech, Minister Ibrahimaj said that, “We believe in building a skilled, prosperous future by promoting vocational training as a direct, valuable alternative to university education”.

Therefore, continued Ibrahimaj, we have invested heavily in modernizing school, dormitory and laboratory infrastructure to make vocational education a premier choice for students.

Minister Ibrahimaj added that, “European integration is not a checklist of legal reforms, but a profound economic transformation.”

“I’m proud to see 60, well-trained, bilingual, and tech-proficient students taking ownership of all service areas, proving the success of our educational program”, said Ibrahimaj. /k.s/a.f/p.s./

At the invitation of the Swiss Ambassador to Albania Ruth Huber, Spiropali participated in the presentation of the Swiss Cooperation Program 2026–2028.

During her speech, Spiropali spoke about the assistance over the years of the Swiss government in fundamental areas such as the democratization of Albania, the strengthening of institutions and the increase in the efficiency and quality of our services.

“The latest program implemented in the period 2022-25 was structured around 4 pillars: Good Governance, Economic Development and Employment, Service Infrastructure, Climate and Energy, and Health. These four pillars directly reflected and supported our reform agenda,” she said.

Spiropali also appreciated that in context of this cooperation, “There has been a concrete impact on the lives of the citizens, for an entrepreneur who found access to financing, for a municipality that improved the standard of public services, for a young person who gained professional skills and a more secure perspective for the future,” said Spiropali.

The Foreign Minister particularly appreciated the high standard of transparency, monitoring and accountability that has characterized this partnership.

Spiropali underlined that Switzerland will continue to remain one of the most important partners, with which we are united not only by the community of 250 thousand Albanians living in the friendly country, but also by a similar vision for the future.

“We will continue to keep our political dialogue active, to further strengthen the Bern-Tirana cooperation framework. We will work to deepen economic relations, by promoting investments, increasing trade volume and identifying new areas of cooperation for our entrepreneurship. Albanian-Swiss cooperation can be further strengthened in areas of common interest, such as innovation, cybersecurity, tourism, vocational education and other sectors with high potential. I am convinced that this will be our common direction”, added Spiropali. /j.p/p.s./

This meeting advanced the ongoing partnership between INSTAT and the Swiss embassy to Albania and focused on strengthening institutional partnerships to advance the national statistical system.

During the conversation, the interlocutors highly valued the role of Swiss assistance in modernizing official statistics, increasing professional capacities and improving data quality, in accordance with European standards.

The parties expressed their willingness to further deepen cooperation, in order to increase the transparency and reliability of official statistics for the public and decision-making institutions. /j.p/p.s./

In the message that Minister of Health and Social Protection Albana Koçiu shared in the social media, she stated that Pablo and his mother, during their vacation in Albania, encountered an unexpected situation, which was professionally taken care of by Durrës emergency staff.

“Thank you for your trust, the health of every holidaymaker is our priority,” wrote Koçiu.

The foreign tourist and her son begin the message with a, “Thank you for the extraordinary welcome, for the loving and kind people they found during their vacation in Albania.”

She stated that while the children were playing in the beach, one of them threw sand in her son’s eyes.

“In the emergency room, the medical staff reacted immediately. A very kind and professional woman-doctor took charge of the situation. She cleaned his eye with saline and after a few minutes Pablo was well and opened his eyes,” said the tourist.

She added that all the care in Durrës hospital emergency room was exemplary, full of dedication, even a better service than in Switzerland. /e.i/j.p/p.s./

Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation Blendi Gonxhja shared photos from this event in social media, emphasizing that, “Our magical troupe occupied the stage of the “Fàrbifestival” në Wetzikon, Zürich for three nights, bringing color, energy and cultural diversity that amazed the audience”.

“The evenings were very stylishly moderated by Shqipe Sylejmani and Marguerite Meyer, while in the hall we had the pleasure of having representatives of the Embassy of Albania and the Consulate of Kosovo present”, said Gonxhja.

Ministry Gonxhja underlined that this is just the beginning, as “our calendar will be enriched with more international events, in addition to tours in the cities of Albania”.

/gj.m/p.s./

The Swiss Embassy in Tirana said in a post in the social media that, “ERA is providing advanced emergency response capacities and protocols for 160 doctors and nurses from 16 different municipalities in Albania”.

Swiss Ambassador Ruth Huber was also present at one of the organized trainings. He said that, “It is essential that people receive help and response to emergencies be as quickly as possible and as close to where it is needed”.

Doctors and nurses were trained on emergency medical skills, to save the lives of citizens.

Emergency Response Albania is a center that handles emergency situations and accidents at the pre-hospital level. It was established in 2012 by the Swiss Foundation for Innovation with the aim of providing top-class emergency services in cases of accidents and life-threatening situations. It aims to strengthen and improve emergency medical services in Albania and save lives in cases of illness, injury or disaster. The staff is highly qualified and is continuously trained and updated with expertise from the USA, Switzerland and Germany. ERA offers its life-saving service to everyone free of charge based on voluntary donations. The Swiss Foundation for Innovation is a non-profit organization that has been implementing activities since 1991. /p.s./

Albania’s representative to the Eurovision, “Shkodra Elektronike” had its parade, too. Beatriçe Gjergji, wearing a handmade-dress by her mother, Irina Dema, drew the attention to the Albanian heritage through her very special appearance.

Beatriçe Gjergji brought beautiful elements, symbols of the old Albanian tradition, including personal items, fanatically preserved by the ancestors of her family.

The costume design presented in Basel brings the theme of “Grandma’s Guest Room”. Besides the dress, Beatriçe was holding a bag in her hand with a small box where her grandmother once carried all her jewelry.

The Eurovision Village has also opened and will remain open to the public until May 17, with activities, live music and live broadcasts from the main stage.

The biggest European music event is approaching with the first night which will be tomorrow, May 13, while Albania will perform the 12th in a row. /a.g/p.s./

The purpose of the visit was to exchange experiences and discuss various projects between the two associations.

The head of the Swiss Association inspected the premises of the “House of Football”. He saw up from very close the training grounds, the training center for the national team, the internal administration premises and the museum, where he had the opportunity to get acquainted with the history of Albanian football.

The Swiss Association has a program to build a sports center and for this reason President Blanc was very interested in the House of Football.

In a statement for fshf.org, President Blanc expressed his admiration for the achievements of the Albanian Football Association, especially for the “My Uniform” project, where the Association offers free training materials for young people who become part of football.

The head of the Swiss football government also recalled Albania – Switzerland match, played on June 11, 2016 in context of the “Euro 2016” finals in Lens, France.

“I would like to highlight the famous match with Switzerland in 2016 in France, where your national team participated for the first time in the finals of a European Championship. A fantastic match. It is also worth mentioning that we have many Albanians living in Switzerland. There were players of Albanian origin in Albania-Switzerland match, too. It was a high level match with a lot of emotions. And this is was also an opportunity of friendship that football offered us at that time,” emphasized Dominique Blanc. /a.f/p.s./

Interview with the Swiss Ambassador to Tirana Ruth Huber to Gjergji Mima, journalist of Albanian Telegraphic Agency:

1. Ambassador Huber, can you tell us more about the agreement on employment and training of young people that has been signed between Switzerland and Albania?

Last week we signed an agreement with the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation for the implementation of ‘Skills for Jobs’ (S4J), a project that supports vocational education in Albania. The signing formalizes at government level the grant of 10 million Euro for the VET sector over the course of four years. Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), is a key partner in strengthening vocational education and training (VET) in Albania.

2. What are the main goals of this agreement and the number of young people benefiting from this agreement?

The goal is for young people from across Albania to find attractive and gainful employment after receiving new and better vocational skills. The ‘Skills for Jobs’ project, implemented by Swisscontact, aims at expanding access to high-quality vocational training and employment opportunities for young people and adults from diverse backgrounds.

Up to 29,400 young people, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, will benefit from better education and employment opportunities. The project already works with 10 public vocational schools in Shkodër, Lezhë, Tiranë, Elbasan, Vlorë, and Berat, while direct support will be extended to four additional schools. Successful practices will be scaled up across more vocational schools and businesses, in order to build a VET system that will continue to grow and evolve for future generations.

3. How will this agreement affect employment opportunities for Albanian youth and how will it help develop their professional skills?

Evidence – from both Switzerland and Albania – shows that students who participate in practical trainings during their studies make a faster transition from school to work. In 2023, 71.2% of graduates from our partner vocational schools were employed or self-employed within a year of graduation. Moreover, 63.5% of graduates had already secured their first job before completing their education.

The focus is on equipping young people with the skills demanded by the job market and that means making vocational education more relevant and labour market-oriented. A key component is the ‘dual VET’ initiative, inspired by the Swiss model and successfully introduced in Albania with our support. Students spend 50% of their time at a workplace post where they put theoretical learning into practice. This is a win-win model for both students and for private sector employers.

‘Skills for Jobs’ will work on two fronts: modernizing and improving the quality of vocational education, and involving private sector companies in the education processes. The project introduces innovative teaching approaches: work-based learning, blended learning, and digital tools. For example, in 2020 the project introduced for the first time a virtual learning platform, MesoVET, at the Shkolla Tregtare, Vlorë. It has since become an important tool in the vocational education sector, allowing digital assessments and exams and making it easier for both students and teachers.

It is crucial for vocational institutions to collaborate with businesses to ensure that education and employment are closely linked. The project has shown good results so far in closing the gap between school education and employers’ needs.

4. What are the areas or sectors where the training of young people will be focused?

‘Skills for Jobs’ supports vocational institutions in responding to labour market demands in providing young people with skills that are relevant to a wide range of industries: ICT, hospitality and tourism, manufacturing, and other sectors.

By prioritising adaptability and innovation in vocational education, the project helps create a workforce that is better prepared for the evolving job market. This ensures that students and graduates have higher chances for gainful employment and can have a smooth transition into the workforce throughout all these sectors.

5. What are some of the projects that are planned to support this initiative and how will it be ensured that it reaches every city in Albania?

At this current phase the project is expanding successful models – work-based learning, digitalisation, and stronger business partnerships – to more vocational institutions and companies across Albania.

One unique element of the Skills for Jobs project is working at national level with the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation, the National Agency for VET and Qualification (NAVETQ) and National Agency for Employment and Skills (NAES). This is driving systemic change in vocational education and making sure that the country’s VET policies are relevant. This in turn will ensure that VET programmes are practical, inclusive, and aligned with labour market needs.

S4J is working closely also with our Skills Development for Employment project (SD4E), implemented by UNDP. to integrate these innovations into the education system. By strengthening institutional management, improving quality of education, and increasing private sector involvement, we are creating a sustainable framework that will continue benefiting young people well beyond the project’s duration.

6. How do you think this agreement will affect the strengthening of economic and workforce ties between the two countries?

It will further improve Albania’s workforce which is essential for sustainable growth.  Switzerland and Albania share a strong partnership in economic development and employment, with vocational education as our flagship initiative. We are proud to see Albania develop its own VET system by drawing inspiration from Switzerland’s dual VET model, blending theoretical learning with hands-on training.

7. Swiss Cultural Week? What are the activities during this week and how is Swiss culture presented in Tirana?

We are just concluding a very interesting and successful Cultural Week. However, it is not your typical cultural week as usually hosted by embassies. We did it differently: the Swiss Cultural Week focused on works by local Albanian artists and cultural groups. What they had in common was support by the Swiss Cultural Fund. We will have other opportunities to showcase Swiss culture, but at this time we wanted to showcase cultural projects by independent Albanian artists.

Another unique element of the Swiss Cultural Week is that it blends art with dialogue and its slogan is ‘Dialogue through culture’. It is more than a celebration of art; it is a platform for exchange and discussion. All the activities had a theme or topic that is relevant and important for the Albanian society.  For example, several activities treated the topic of dealing with the past, including a concert with original compositions by Mardit Lleshi that take the listener through a musical experience of living under the totalitarian communist regime, or the documentary “In the Socialist Paradise (it doesn’t rain)”, by Ermela Teli, addressing the theme of propaganda in art and its significant political role.

8. Culture is a powerful bridge to bring nations closer. How can this type of cultural exchange influence future ties between the two peoples? How do you see the impact of cultural activities like this event on strengthening relations between Albania and Switzerland?

Culture contributes to development, democracy and peace. We are privileged to support Albania’s independent cultural scene since 2017 through the Swiss Cultural Fund, nurturing its creativity, amplifying its voices, and ultimately strengthening its role as a catalyst for change.

And yes, culture also brings nations closer and we have seen stronger ties between our two countries through cultural exchanges. We frequently promote artists and cultural activities – whether Swiss or Albanian – with the view of increasing people-to-people contacts and understanding.

9. How can you contribute to Albania’s assistance in promoting cultural heritage and tourism through these cultural events?

It is part of our policy to strengthen an independent cultural sector because it plays an essential role in social cohesion, freedom of expression, and in building trust. In addition, with the growing tourism sector, having a solid and vibrant cultural sector is even more important. Tourists want more than just going to the beautiful beaches of Albania: they want to immerse into and experience the rich local culture and heritage of the country.

10. Will there be other Swiss cultural and artistic events organized in Albania in the future, to further enrich our cultural and touristic relations?

Yes, throughout the year we will be collaborating with other embassies on the French, German and Italian language weeks. At the end of March we plan to have two concerts by the Swiss musician Christian Tschanz.

11. Regarding the blocking of funds from Switzerland for Albania, a news item has circulated in the media about the blocking of funds for our country. What is the truth about Swiss funds?

There is no blocking of funds, it’s a readjustment of our budgets. By 2028 will phase out the funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, while the funding from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO will continue beyond 2028. The Swiss Parliament decided on budget reductions driven by the financial situation in Switzerland, the wider global context including the war in Ukraine, and the actual needs in several countries. In our ongoing projects until 2028 we can still implement many activities and reach important results. This gradual reduction goes in step with Albania’s progress in the EU integration process.

12. For what projects and sectors will the funds from Switzerland be channeled?

Our current development cooperation programme stands at the volume of nearly 28 million Euro per year and supports democratisation, economic development, infrastructure services, and health. Following the Swiss parliament’s decision, we will now readjust the programme in Albania and focus the areas to be supported after 2028 on macro-economic stability, the business environment, infrastructure services, private sector growth and climate change (the green agenda).

13. How do you see Switzerland’s role in supporting economic development and improving social conditions in Albania, especially in the context of the use of these funds?

Switzerland remains committed to support Albania on its development path until and beyond 2028, in particular through instruments of economic development cooperation funded by SECO, promoting a socially, environmentally and climate-friendly economic growth. Some of our support is quite visible and tangible as in the case of improvements in vocational education where the schools offer a higher quality and students are better prepared for gainful employment or in health and social services, where our support helped improve primary health care and established social centers at municipalities level. Some other type of support is less visible: stronger financial institutions such as increased capacities at the Bank of Albania for more solid monetary policies and research. Switzerland sees Albania as an important partner and our engagement and support continues.