The Western Balkans Fund (WBF) presented today its first call for regional projects proposals.

The event was welcomed by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati, who thanked first of all the countries of Visegrad for the invaluable help they have given throughout the process, the ambassadors of the Western Balkan countries, countries with which we have collaborated to create this initiative and this fund. “I would like to encourage fund managers, the secretariat, which includes experts from all Western Balkan countries, to cooperate with another regional initiative, the RYCO (Regional Center for Youth Co-operation). It is an initiative that groups Western Balkan countries. It should be considered as a complementary initiative both in terms of projects and those who could benefit from these projects ", -Minister Bushati highlighted.

This was the first presentation through which, the Western Balkans Fund informed civil society and non-profit organizations in Albania, about the call from the Fund to propose projects that could link organizations from the Western Balkan countries in the fields cultural cooperation, educational and scientific exchanges and sustainable development.

The event was attended by more than 100 leaders of civil society organizations, as well as ambassadors of the Western Balkan countries, the Visegrad group and the European Union countries.

Following the presentation of Tirana, the Fund will continue with presentations in Skopje, Pristina, Podgorica, Sarajevo and Belgrade.

The Western Balkans Fund is an intergovernmental organization established by the Contracting Parties (WB6 group: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia). This is the first regional organization which has the headquarters in Tirana. The aim of the projects is to promote common values among citizens, civil society and institutions in the region, strengthening cooperation and contacts between people in the Western Balkans.