The preparation of the file for the inclusion of the "Lumi Vjosa" National Park in the UNESCO, "Man and Biosphere" program has been completed.
The Minister of Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro signed the file that will be sent to UNESCO, a voluminous work led by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the National Agency of Protected Areas in collaboration with experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and international partners.
"Vjosa will be categorized in the new category "Man and Biosphere", one of the most interesting categories that UNESCO has 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 cooperation with international experts from IUCN and UNESCO, have prepared the file. Now begins a process of collaboration with UNESCO experts in Paris and with full confidence that at the next meeting of the Natural Heritage Committee, Vjosa will also receive this new patent to increase its name, to include communities, but also to come up with new products for each of the areas that lie in the Vjosa Basin. We are very proud of the work we have done all these years for Vjosa, where each of the actors of Albanian society has played a very important contribution, from civil society to those who are the people of Vjosa and have preserved and protected it for centuries", u says Minister Kumbaro through a video message.
The month of September marked another important event for the Vjosa River National Park, such as the approval of the Integrated Management Plan, the final result of a very intensive work between Albanian and foreign experts, consecutive public consultations throughout the territory, discussions, training and expertise. Meanwhile, in parallel, work has continued on the preparation of the project of the Multi-functional Center of the Vjosa National Park, work on which will start within the year.
