LocationsAt a school rebuilt after the 2019 earthquake, the European Commission President met young people, listened to their ideas and heard what opportunities and Europe mean to them.
Von der Leyen Visits Rebuilt Tirana School, Showcasing EU–UNDP Partnership in Albania’s Post-Earthquake Recovery
October 5, 2026
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited “Emin Duraku” School in Tirana, one of 63 educational facilities rebuilt or rehabilitated through the EU-funded #EU4Schools programme following Albania’s devastating 2019 earthquake.
UNDP Albania
TIRANA. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited “Emin Duraku” School in Tirana (Watch Video), one of 63 educational facilities rebuilt or rehabilitated through the EU-funded #EU4Schools programme following Albania’s devastating 2019 earthquake.
She was accompanied by Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission; Mirela Kumbaro, Minister of Education and Sports; Sofia Moreira de Sousa, EU Ambassador to Albania,Ingrid Macdonald, UN Resident Coordinator in Albania; and Randi Davis, UNDP Resident Representative in Albania.
Davis welcomed President von der Leyen to the school, introduced her to the programme and walked her through the facilities, highlighting how the EU–UNDP partnership had transformed a school affected by the earthquake into a modern, safer and more inclusive learning environment.
Davis welcomed President von der Leyen to the school, introduced her to the programme and walked her through the facilities, highlighting how the EU–UNDP partnership had transformed a school affected by the earthquake into a modern, safer and more inclusive learning environment.
UNDP Albania
She also thanked the European Union for its trust, partnership and financial support, echoing the message she delivered at the programme’s completion earlier this year: “The EU4Schools Programme demonstrated the power of European solidarity in action.” Davis said the completion of all 63 facilities represented a lasting legacy of resilience, inclusion and quality education, and thanked the EU for its partnership in making the programme possible.
Von der Leyen toured the school and met students in the chemistry laboratory, a classroom, the gym, the art corner and the School Senate, where students participate in school life and decision-making.
The students shared their ideas and aspirations, spoke about opportunities for young people and discussed what the European Union means to them.
Rather than a formal discussion about policy, the exchange offered a glimpse into the everyday experiences and ambitions of young people growing up in Albania today.
The setting was significant: a school rebuilt through European solidarity, now serving the students it was designed for.
Von der Leyen Visits Rebuilt Tirana School, Showcasing EU–UNDP Partnership in Albania’s Post-Earthquake Recovery
UNDP Albania
What #EU4Schools represents
“Emin Duraku” is one of 63 schools and kindergartens rebuilt or rehabilitated across 11 earthquake-affected municipalities through #EU4Schools.
Funded by the European Union with €75 million and implemented by UNDP, with an additional UNDP contribution of €765,000, the programme created safer, greener and more inclusive learning environments for approximately 25,000 children, students and teachers.
“Emin Duraku” is one of 63 schools and kindergartens rebuilt or rehabilitated across 11 earthquake-affected municipalities through #EU4Schools.
UNDP Albania
The programme went beyond repairing earthquake damage. Guided by the principles of “Build Back Better” and “Build Back Together,” the facilities were designed to be more resilient, accessible and responsive to the needs of the communities using them.
Every facility was designed and constructed in accordance with Eurocode 8 seismic standards, incorporated renewable energy solutions and was made accessible to children and students with disabilities. The programme also involved students, parents, teachers, local authorities and communities in consultations throughout the reconstruction process.
At “Emin Duraku,” these principles can be seen in the spaces that President von der Leyen visited—from the science laboratory and gym to the art area and School Senate.
The programme was launched in response to the devastating earthquake of 26 November 2019, which caused widespread damage across Albania.
The European Commission entrusted UNDP with implementing a major part of the country’s education recovery effort. Across 11 municipalities, 63 educational facilities were ultimately rebuilt or rehabilitated.
For the European Union, the programme became one of the most visible examples of solidarity following the earthquake.
Von der Leyen Visits Rebuilt Tirana School, Showcasing EU–UNDP Partnership in Albania’s Post-Earthquake Recovery
UNDP Albania
President von der Leyen herself had described EU4Schools ahead of her visit as one of the most tangible examples of European solidarity and cooperation with Albania, noting that 63 schools had been rebuilt or renovated with EU support.
For UNDP, the programme demonstrated what can happen when significant financial investment is matched by technical expertise, implementation capacity and close cooperation with national and local institutions.
As Davis said “The European Union provided vision, leadership and financial commitment that made reconstruction possible on a scale. UNDP brought technical expertise, engineering oversight, project management capacity and a commitment to transparency that ensured every school met the highest standards.”
The partnership was also built around participation. Technical designs were consulted with teachers, students, parents and community members, while the programme’s transparency portal allowed partners and the public to follow progress.
Von der Leyen toured the school and met students in the chemistry laboratory, a classroom, the gym, the art corner and the School Senate, where students participate in school life and decision-making.
UNDP Albania
A school, and a promise kept
The 2019 earthquake changed lives in less than a minute. Rebuilding took years of commitment, coordination and cooperation.
Today, the result is visible not only in the 63 completed educational facilities, but in the children and teachers using them every day.
At “Emin Duraku,” President von der Leyen’s visit brought together the different strands of that story: the European Union’s solidarity after the earthquake, UNDP’s role in delivering the reconstruction, and the young people at the centre of the investment.
The programme’s legacy is ultimately measured not only in buildings, laboratories or infrastructure, but in students learning in safer environments and communities with greater confidence in their future.
The earthquake may have created the need to rebuild. The partnership turned that need into an opportunity to build better.
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