The preparation of the application file for the inclusion of the Vjosa River National Park in the UNESCO “Man and Biosphere” program has been completed.

Mirela Kumbaro, the Minister of Tourism and Environment signed the file that will be sent to UNESCO, a major effort led by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the National Agency of Protected Areas in cooperation with experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and international partners.

“Vjosa will be included in the new category of “Man and Biosphere”, one of the most interesting categories of UNESCO when it comes to protected natural areas where man coexists with nature. The National Agency of Protected Areas and the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, in collaboration with international experts from IUCN and UNESCO, have prepared the file. Now a process of cooperation with UNESCO experts in Paris begins, with full confidence that in the next meeting of the World Heritage Committee Vjosa will receive this new designation, further elevating its name, involving communities and creating new products for each of the areas within the Vjosa Basin. We are very proud of the work we have done over the years for Vjosa, in which every actor in Albanian society has played a crucial role, from civil society to the people of Vjosa who have preserved and protected it for centuries,” said Minister Kumbaro in a video message.

September also marked another important event for the Vjosa River National Park, with the approval of the Integrated Management Plan, the final result of intensive work between Albanian and foreign experts, successive public consultations throughout the area, discussions, trainings and expertise. Meanwhile, work continued on the preparation of the project for the Multifunctional Center of the Vjosa National Park, which is expected to be launched later this year.