Rruga Ismail Qemali, Tirana
Tirana
Albania
- Youth and education
We are concerned citizens. We live in European countries with totalitarian histories - from Tallin to Tirana, from Prague to Baku. We are civic activists, political leaders, and journalists, and we share the commitment and willpower to defend the freedoms our parents fought for. We refrain from the policies of hate and division to unite our societies against authoritarian revisionism. Although we differ in political views, we share a deep commitment to democratic principles, and we come together to search for solutions to the societal problems that our countries face. We respect each other, we listen to each other, and we are here to help each other. We are hundreds of organized people in 23 countries. Our network’s partners and friends help us with skills-building, resources and connections to like-minded people. We do not take democracy for granted. We are founded by NDI, IRI, and USAID Sources of funding - EDYN HQ, NDI, IRI Albania Chapter has 19 members Partners - NDI, IRI, USAID, International Chamber of Commerce, Impacts Center, Political parties, Youth Networks.
The vision of “Europe: whole, and free and at peace” is still relevant and not yet fulfilled. EDYN supports young pro-democracy activists, politicians, and journalists from across the political and ideological spectrum ages 18 to 32 in 23 countries with totalitarian heritage. EDYN supports those who refrain from the policies of hate and divisiveness in order to unite their societies against authoritarian revisionists.
For us, democracy isn’t just a word in the dictionary. It’s a commitment to action. Sometimes it takes courage and vision to break from business-as-usual and stand up for the common good. Because of this, some people consider us everyday heroes – we consider ourselves active citizens. *** European Democracy Youth Network – Berlin Declaration We, the members of the European Democracy Youth Network (EDYN) from: The Republic of Albania, Republic of Armenia, Azerbaijan Republic, Republic of Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Bulgaria, Republic of Estonia, Georgia, Republic of Kosovo, Republic of Lithuania, Republic of Moldova, Republic of North Macedonia, Republic of Poland, Republic of Serbia, Ukraine in the EDYN Democracy Summit convened in Berlin, Germany on the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall: Expressing our common adherence to the values of liberty, justice, and equality; Reaffirming our commitment to promote greater civic and political youth leadership in Europe, and; Hereby commit to: Ensure ACCOUNTABILITY is reflected in our conduct as individuals and built into our organizational processes; Principles of ANTI-EXTREMISM, opposing ideologies that seeks to undermine democratic values in society at-large through our words and actions; Work towards affecting political and social change through CONSTRUCTIVE POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT, good-faith dialogue, and debate with a diverse range of viewpoints; Conduct ourselves and our organization’s operations with ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS and consideration for principles of sustainability; Display ETHICAL BEHAVIOR – honesty, fairness, and dignity; Safeguard INCLUSION and equal opportunity for every individual, regardless of gender, disability, national or ethnic origin, religious beliefs or political orientation; Cultivate a MERITOCRACY of ideas in our personal and professional communities; Treat every individual with RESPECT and consideration for their feelings, desires, rights, and traditions; Foster SOLIDARITY and mutual support among youth committed to democratic principles; and Advocate for TRANSPARENCY, openness, and information-sharing in decision-making processes and collaborative work. Acknowledging our network’s geographic, vocational, and political diversity, we share individual responsibility for the health of democracy in each of our countries. We commit to building, sustaining, and reforming democratic institutions through greater youth participation and leadership, by Providing members with practical professional development and skills-building; Encouraging the exchange of best practices and experience through people-to-people linkages across member countries and between generations; Amplifying narratives around democracy’s impact on citizens’ day-to-day lives; Leveraging local youth networks in member-driven initiatives; Collaborating with organizations that share EDYN’s values and commitment to youth leadership, and; Advocating for the inclusion of youth voices in policy development processes at the local, national, and international level.