On 22 February 2023, the award ceremony of the Fake ≠ Facts Video Campaign took place at the Europe House in Tirana. The campaign was organised within the framework of the project “Strengthening Democratic Citizenship Education in Albania” and Swedish Institute initiative Fake ≠ Fact. The campaign was launched in October 2022 with an exhibition and high-level event on Skanderbeg Square in Tirana and since then has travelled to many secondary schools throughout the country reaching approximately 12,000 students, education practitioners and other education community members.

A video contest was also organised as a part of the campaign, where students prepared awareness videos on how to distinguish misleading information as well as on how to successfully confront challenges posed by increasing exposure to social media.

Further to assessment by a team of professionals, videos produced by 11 schools were awarded during this ceremony.

As a part of the campaign, the winning team, representing the Sami Frashëri school, will have the opportunity to visit the Council of Europe Headquarters in Strasbourg. 

“I was impressed by the Council of Europe Awarding Ceremony. I really liked that each school’s efforts were appreciated and I was happy for my school too” said Ariesa, 16 years old, a student at the Secondary United School Krrabë.

The event brought together students, teachers, education practitioners, donors, high level officials, key stakeholders and CSO representatives, and was addressed by H.E. Elsa Håstad, Ambassador of Sweden to Albania, Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Nina Guga and Acting Head of CoE Office in Tirana Olsi Dekovi.

This activity was organised in the context of the Council of Europe project “Strengthening Democratic Citizenship Education in Albania” funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).