Youth on the European Green Belt: Discovering Biodiversity, Culture, and Sustainable Living
Two days of field discovery connected Albanian youths with nature and living heritage across the Prespa–Devoll–Korçë region, celebrating the way in which the European Green Belt unites people and places.
Background & Location
The Albanian Center for Environmental governance (ACEG) and Korça Alpin, in cooperation with RAPA Korçë , local municipalities and local businesses hosted a European Green Belt Days celebration in the southeast Albanian Green Belt, at—Prespa National Park, Devoll, Drenova Fir and Korçë. The transboundary area is a biodiversity hotspot linking lakes, mountain habitats and traditional communities.
Objective
The activities aimed to raise young people's awareness of the European Green Belt’s ecological and cultural value by combining outdoor learning with practical examples of sustainability. Through direct encounters with local artisans, producers and nature guides, participants discovered how biodiversity protection and cultural preservation can go hand in hand.
The celebration took place as part of the BESTbelt project, which encourages young people to become stewards of their local heritage. The project promotes the idea that environmental protection encompasses both conservation and innovation, creating new opportunities for green jobs, community resilience, and intergenerational dialogue.
Approach & Results
Over two days, 23 young people joined ACEG and Korça Alpin on a learning journey through Prespa and Korça to explore European Green Belt values in action. In Prespa, RAPA Korçë presented the park’s wetlands, forests, and mountain pastures, explaining zoning and how citizen science aids monitoring. At Kitan Farm, a beekeeper shared insights on hive health and mentoring, while the Fishermen Association discussed challenges like limited cold storage and infrastructure. The group later explored eco-tourism at Prespa Balcony and joined Kayak Albania for a low-impact tourism session.
Day 2 featured visits to Ponçarë, where a beekeeper spoke on pollinator-friendly landscapes, and Sinicë, part of the “100 Villages” programme, where the community addressed emigration and cultural preservation. At Shaka Dairy in Boboshticë, participants saw how local milk becomes high-quality products. The journey ended with local cuisine and pledges for pollinator gardens, waste-wise habits, and sustainable tourism.
This European Green Belt Day celebration was part of an EU-funded BESTbelt project.
Photo gallery of the European Green Belt Days celebration
