UfM hosts creative economy conference in Tirana, paving the way for 2025 Mediterranean Capitals of Culture
4-6 November 2024, Tirana (Albania) – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) co-organized the Conference on Creative Economy in Tirana, Albania, from November 4-6, 2024, in partnership with Albania’s Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation, the Municipality of Tirana, and the Young Professionals Network of Albania. This event served as a prelude to Alexandria and Tirana becoming the first Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue in 2025.
The conference was inaugurated on November 5 by Lira Pipa, Albania’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation. She highlighted ongoing efforts in Tirana to promote culture, tourism, and Albanian values and announced further initiatives to be implemented in the future.
In her opening remarks, Anuel Ristani, Deputy Mayor of Tirana, welcomed participants to Albania, expressing the city’s ambition to become a major tourist destination and stressing the importance of creativity in overcoming shared challenges.
During the welcoming session, DSG Joan Borrell emphasized UfM’s unique role in uniting cities, regional governments, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders to address key topics and sustain momentum from Ministerial meetings. He underscored the essential role of cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in regional economic development, stability and peace, reaffirming UfM’s commitment to promoting the creative economy.
The conference convened experts, creative entrepreneurs, creative hubs, and representatives from public institutions and international organizations across the region. Participants discussed both the economic (e.g., GDP growth, job creation, trade) and non-economic (e.g., social cohesion, well-being, mental health) benefits of creative and cultural industries, emphasizing their role in advancing the green transition through environmental awareness, sustainable tourism, and eco-friendly fashion, among others.
The event also explored strategies to fully unleash the potential of the creative economy, advocating for a holistic approach involving supportive policies, a favorable legal framework, improved access to finance, skill development, and public-private partnerships.
In closing, Said Charna, Senior Economic Advisor of EDE, highlighted the clear positive impacts of CCIs on economic, social, health, and environmental fronts, emphasizing the importance of supporting these industries to help them thrive. He reiterated UfM’s commitment to promoting this promising sector through tangible initiatives in collaboration with partners.
On the following day, the Albanian Agency of Creative Industries facilitated a visit for the participants to the Agimi Art Center, one of Tirana’s oldest cinemas, now revitalized to serve as a cultural hub. In addition to screening films and supporting Albanian filmmakers, the center will also offer co-working spaces and host various cultural activities and events.
