200 teachers and members of school development teams in nine primary and secondary schools in Tirana, Durrës and Elbasan took part in a training programme on Preventing and Addressing Bullying, Violence and Extremism in Schools in November and December.

Organised by the Strengthening Democratic Citizenship Education in Albania project, the training aimed to raise awareness of these phenomena at both school and community level, to increase knowledge and understanding of the different forms of bullying, and to address their impact on children's education and well-being. In addition, the trainings aimed to help participants develop concrete initiatives to create a supportive and safe learning environment where bullying and other forms of violence are not tolerated.

Participants were introduced to the forms and causes of bullying, its impact on school and community life, effective prevention methods and ways to ensure a safe environment and protect the rights of every student. The training also provided information on the legal and institutional framework for anti-bullying policies in Albania, as well as international best practices for developing initiatives to address school-related challenges.

Following the training, each school will organise awareness-raising activities with an educational focus, involving young people within the school community to promote the message that bullying will not be tolerated.

The Council of Europe project Strengthening Democratic Citizenship Education in Albania, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, aims to promote respect, equality and democratic values through training programmes, contributing to a society where children's well-being and safety are a priority.