In a significant move to integrate contemporary educational methods into the school curriculum, the Council of Europe Head of the Education Department Villano Qiriazi emphasised the importance of using state security documents to teach the history of totalitarian regimes. This announcement was made at the opening of the International Seminar in Tirana, titled "Use of State Security Documents for Teaching the History of Totalitarian Regimes as Part of Education for Democracy in Schools."

The seminar, attended by educators, historians, and policy makers, highlighted the need for a deeper understanding of totalitarian histories to foster democratic values in younger generations. The Head of the Education Department stated, "Looking back and learning from the historical past in order to better understand the present and ensure that the past does not repeat itself requires a unified approach by all those involved in educational policy and its practical implementation, as well as intellectual honesty, open-mindedness, respect for historical truth, critical evaluation and civic courage."

The initiative is seen as a groundbreaking step in history education in Albania, aiming to provide students with firsthand historical sources, thereby encouraging critical thinking and analytical skills. This approach is expected to not only enrich the academic understanding of historical events but also to promote a democratic mindset among students. Educators at the seminar discussed various methodologies and challenges in incorporating these sensitive and complex documents into the curriculum. The seminar will also address the importance of handling such documents with care and the ethical considerations involved in their educational use.

This initiative aligns with broader educational reforms carried out by the Ministry of Education and Sports of Albania aimed at strengthening democracy through informed and critical learning.

The activity was co-organised with the Authority for Information on Former State Security Documents, Ministry of Education and Sport, and Council of Europe project Strengthening Democratic Citizenship Education in Albania financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and the outcomes and proposals developed in the course of this ground-breaking event will be further followed by the project team in cooperation with the Council of Europe education department and national partners.