Representatives of Albania’s Committee on National Minorities and Estonia’s Ministry of Culture and Integration Foundation met in Durrës, Albania, to exchange their best practices on effective integration of national minorities and management of diverse societies. Hosted by the Albanian counterpart, with the support of the European Union and the Council of Europe, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the OSCE Presence in Albania, the initiative followed a previous exchange organised in Tallin in 2024.

Interactive discussions among participants fostered a deeper understanding of each country’s approach. Particular emphasis was given to respective experiences and practices on policy-driven approach to integration, as well as alignment of monitoring outcomes with long-term strategies. The Integration Foundation of Estonia provided valuable perspectives on integration of monitoring as a tool for tracking minority inclusion over time in a structured and methodical way. Fruitful discussions with local NGOs and public institutions of Durrës, featuring grassroots efforts to support national minorities, enriched the exchange.

The visit was complemented by a capacity-building activity for 18 members of thee Committee on National Minorities aiming at enhancing their project drafting and management skills, including access to funding for minority rights initiatives. Meanwhile, the Estonian delegation held separate meetings in Tirana, engaging with key stakeholders in the field of minority rights.

Through knowledge-sharing and collaboration, the three-day exchange reinforced co-operation between Albanian and Estonian authorities, while equipping the Committee on National Minorities with new tools and insights to enhance its work in supporting national minorities.

This event was organised in the framework of the action on Advancing the protection from discrimination in Albania, part of the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.