UNOPS: Going forward with the EU for Culture Project

UNOPS in Albania continues the work on restauration of Albania’s cultural sites affected by the 2019’s earthquake. Some 27 sites are currently part of the EU For Culture funded interventions. During the EUROPEWEEKS 2021 tour, the EU and local stakeholders were invited by UNOPS to visit several Cultural Heritage sites Including the  Monastery Church of Rubik.

As part of a EUWEEKS expedition at the Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, UNOPS presented the conservation/restoration interventions to be carried at the National Historic Museum along with the restoration of the National Puppet Theater building.

EuropeWeeks2021 tour also stopped at the Venetian Tower in Durres to learn more on use of digital technology which will give an interactive experience to tourists and enhance knowledge about the Tower and the city.

Earlier in the month The EU For Culture project implemented by UNOPS Albania had its 2nd Steering Committee to set next steps forward.

This project seeks to remediate the effect of the earthquake on Albania’s cultural heritage through the rehabilitation of monuments, as well as contribute to Albania’s socio-economic recovery through the construction and upgrade of these sites. It will be important also to support improvements in the capacity of institutions responsible for the management of these cultural monuments and sites to better accommodate tourism. 

In the second Project Steering Committee it was agreed to proceed with preliminary design for  10 sites including: Ethnographic Museum in Kruja, Kurcaj Bridge; Venetian Tower in Durres; Hammam of Durres; Ethnographic Museum in Kavaja;

National Puppet Theater in Kavaja; Castle of Lezha, National Historic Museum in Tirana; Castle of Bashtova and Archaeological Museum in Durres.

Aside from the work for the Tirana Mozaic, the St. Ndoi Church in Rodon, and St. Mary Church in Rubik, the other three sites to proceed are: Ethnographic Museum in Kruja, Kurcaj Bridge; Venetian Tower in Durres;

 

In this project UNOPS is partnering with the Government of Albania and the European Union, as well as with the UN system.

On 26 November 2019, Albania was hit by its most deadly earthquake in a century. The earthquake measured 6.4 on the Richter scale and caused significant casualties and property damage, resulting in 51 deaths, over 1000 injured, and nearly 14,000 people displaced.