In the auditoriums of the Faculty of Educational Sciences at “Aleksandër Xhuvani” University in Elbasan an open lecture was held to discuss the role of the Council of Europe in the development of democracy and the promotion of human rights.

Organised within the framework of the Council of Europe open days, this informative and friendly meeting with students also served to introduce the role and function of Council of Europe bodies, the importance and challenges of human rights and democracy in the time we live in, as well as the contribution of Council of Europe projects in Albania’s journey toward the European Union.

About 150 students followed attentively and appreciated the topics introduced as a good experience for them, where the importance of developing competences for democratic culture in higher education and in-depth knowledge of the international system of human rights protection and its application in Albania were highlighted.

The student’s interest was showcased in their questions and following discussions on the right to life, the right to education, participation in decision-making, etc. A series of Council of Europe publications were donated to the university's resource centre.

This activity was organised in collaboration with the Faculty of Educational Sciences at “Aleksandër Xhuvani” University in Elbasan, in the context of the Council of Europe’s project Strengthening Democratic Citizenship Education in Albania, financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.