Bylis, Albania_20.06.2025 – The second meeting of the Steering Committee of the EU-funded project “EU for Economic Development – Tourism-led, Local Economic Development, with a Focus on Cultural Heritage” convened at Bylis Archaeological Park, bringing together senior representatives from the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation, the Delegation of the European Union to Albania, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) – Tirana Office, and leading institutions in Albania’s cultural heritage sector. The committee discussed key project issues, set priorities, and agreed on the next strategic steps.
The meeting was preceded by a site visit to Bylis Archaeological Park, where Steering Committee members and invited guests were introduced to the preliminary concepts for the Park’s new multifunctional visitor center and initiatives aimed at enhancing visitor accessibility. International experts currently working on the project shared their methodologies and highlighted the potential impact improved visitor access could have on site management and the surrounding communities.
Conservation specialists also presented progress on the park’s conservation management plan and detailed projects being developed by an Italo-Albanian whose consortium international experts have previously worked on internationally renowned sites, including the Colosseum in Rome. The visit continued with an introductory meeting with the 15 selected participants who will attend the EU-funded Local Tourist Guide Training Program.
The delegation also toured the extraordinary mosaics of Bylis, where AICS introduced its upcoming capacity-building program, scheduled to start implementation in September 2025. The program aims to train not only the new park administration but also students and other heritage professionals from across Albania.
Following the site visit, participants convened for the official Steering Committee meeting. The session opened with welcoming remarks by Ms. Stefania Vizzaccaro, Head of Office at AICS Tirana, who emphasized the strategic importance of the project in improving accessibility in the park and engaging with local communities to foster a sustainable economic future through cultural heritage. She reaffirmed AICS’s commitment to inclusive and participatory development in the heritage sector in Albania.
Ms. Lira Pipa, Deputy Minister of Economy, Culture, and Innovation, followed with a statement outlining the Ministry’s main commitments through its institutions, as well as the Ministry’s expectations regarding the project’s outcomes.
Mr. Andrea Ferrero, Head of Section for Sustainable Economic and Social Development at the Delegation of the European Union to Albania, emphasized the importance of approving the permits for the multifunctional center and conservation projects by the relevant Albanian state agencies, given the very tight deadlines remaining for the project’s implementation.
Mr. Ilir Parangoni, Team Leader at AICS Tirana, delivered a detailed presentation highlighting the key achievements from September 2024 to May 2025 and the milestones planned until the end of the project. Partners from the Emilia-Romagna Region contributed to the presentation by informing attendees about the activities carried out with the local community during the reporting period.
The discussions focused on upcoming activities scheduled for 2025, as well as those planned for 2026. Priority was giving to the infrastructure works to be carried out for the park accessibility and conservation. The meeting concluded with a constructive exchange of views on the project’s overall progress and the formal endorsement of the change of partner from University of Bologna (UNIBO) to Polytechnic of Milan (POLIMI) and of the revised logical framework.
