In a social media post, Rama said attendance peaked at around 25,000 people on a single night during the festival, which was held at “Rana e Hedhun” beach near Shengjin.

The government head described the event as a success for Shengjin, the wider Lezha region and local businesses, saying it underscored Albania’s growing appeal as an international tourist destination.

Thousands of visitors gathered along the Adriatic coast for performances by international electronic music artists and DJs.

UNUM is one of the Balkans’ best-known electronic music festivals and is held annually in the coastal area of Rana e Hedhun. The festival combines house and techno music with the area’s natural setting of beaches, pine forests and coastline.

The event attracts music fans and tourists from across Europe and beyond, contributing to the extension of Albania’s summer tourism season and increasing visitor spending in the surrounding area.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama took to the social media to show images as Shengjin gears up to host the event, describing the festival as “annual meeting point for thousands of tourists and art lovers from all over Europe.”

“Five fabulous days and nights of the music festival, an annual meeting point for thousands of visitors and art lovers from all over Europe with a backdrop of sand, lush green hills, pine trees and the sea, but also a passport presenting summer events on the Albanian coast,” Rama wrote.

From June 5 to 10, the International Techno Music UNUM Festival will create a unique atmosphere and boost tourism in Shëngjin during the summer season.

Over 90 artists are expected to perform during the five-day event.

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“Beautiful resonance of UNUM Festival in Europe, an event held at Rana e Hedhur in Shengjin that brought together 75 international artists and over 10,000 young people from all over Europe,” PM Rama said.

“Five endless nights in the rhythm of music, entertainment and positive vibes on the shore, just like it happened prior to the pandemic. UNUM in Albania, the already traditional house and techno festival, enlivened the youth nights, as the country is further relaxing restrictions amid recent fall in number of fresh infections,” Euronews said on its story.

“I feel awesome being here. I feel free, a normal person. No other event can make me feel better than a festival, especially like this one taking place on the coast,” a foreign tourist participating in the festival said.

“Various festival locations, all spectacular ones to host UNUM Festival, which was called off last year. Although under preventive measures because of the COVID, the sector is seeking to restart following months in lockdown,” Euronews said.

“Events like this are a must for our health mental. Many people lost their mind during the pandemic,” the DJ said. “People don’t pay much attention to mental health, but it is really important for the wellbeing of whole body,” he added.

“The festival organizers have sold all the 10,000 available tickets. All precisely planned. You could join the festival by simply showing a negative COVID test. Wristbands served as ticket and credit card payments only. An important step for a return to life,” Euronews said on its story.

Postponed last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Techno Music UNUM Festival returned to Albania as the first European festival taking place in the post-pandemic period.

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