Youth and Intangible Cultural Heritage in Albania
The first questionnaire of this kind in Albania
At the beginning of 2025, over 1,000 young people aged 16 to 33 years old from all over Albania participated in a national survey to help answer these questions. This initiative was carried out within the framework of the European Union-funded project “Heritage is Our Brand”, led by DMO Albania and EU Policy Hub. Purpose: to understand how today’s youth relate to intangible cultural heritage (ICH) – the songs, dances, dialects, crafts, rituals, and traditions that live through people, not monuments. This was the survey first of this kind in Albania, and the findings provide a valuable insight into how the younger generation understands, values, and experiences heritage.
A Curious and Engaged Generation
The survey showed that young people in Albania care about their heritage. Over 80% They expressed that preserving traditions is important for national identity. Many of them want more cultural content in education and value the significance of local customs for the community and tourism.
However, even though interest is high, knowledge is uneven. Only 58% of participants correctly defined what is called intangible heritage, while about 20% mistakenly also included archaeological ruins – an example of how ICH is often misunderstood. Songs, dances, and traditional dialects are the most recognized forms of ICH, while craftsmanship and the practices listed by UNESCO, such as Xhubleta and Transhumance, receive less attention – even in the areas where they originate.
Schools and Education: A Missed Opportunity
The role of the education system in promoting ICH appears limited. Most young people have visited museums, but few have experienced folk tales, traditional games, or hands-on cultural activities. Two-thirds reported that they are not part of any cultural or artistic club at school. While some schools in Tirana offer more activities, rural and southern areas show lower access.
However, almost 3 in 4 of young people believe that ICH should have a greater role in school curricula. They want more – more engagement, more visibility, more creativity.
Family and Grandparents: The Heart of Heritage
Where schools may fail, families – especially grandparents – keep traditions alive. Most young people reported that they have learned songs, dances, recipes, and traditional rituals within their families. Dialects are still spoken in many homes, and cultural values continue to be passed down informally.
However, despite this strong role of the family, only 8% of of the participants said they had a family member involved in heritage-related economic activities – such as crafts, tourism, or guiding. This indicates an untapped potential to turn cultural knowledge into employment opportunities and local development.
Community and Culture: A Complex Picture
While festivals and local events still play an important role in cultural life, the presence of professional groups that preserve ICH – such as folk ensembles or artisan workshops – is uneven and concentrated in certain regions. In Tirana, for example, young people reported fewer opportunities to engage with living traditions in their community.
Young people overwhelmingly believe that both local and central governments share responsibility for preserving heritage, alongside schools and families. Civil society is also seen as an important actor – but still underutilized.
Digital Culture: New Spaces for Old Traditions
Unsurprisingly, social media is now the main platform for learning about cultural heritage. TikTok, Instagram and YouTube They are used far more than television or school programs to interact with traditional content.
However, awareness of official platforms or digital archives for ICH Albanian is very limited low – indicating that although culture is being shared online, it does not always come from reliable or comprehensive sources. This presents a strong opportunity for digital initiatives to fill this gap with youth-oriented, accessible, and creative content.
What Do Young People Want?
Throughout the survey, several messages were clear:
- They want more cultural content in education – not just in books, but in clubs, activities, and projects.
- They are seeking more public investment in local culture – through events, centers, and infrastructure.
- They want more opportunities to participate in shaping and promoting cultural identity – both in person and online.
Young Albanians do not see heritage as a relic of the past. They view it as a source of identity, creativity, connection, and even employment – if the right opportunities and platforms for engagement are created.
The Way Forward
This survey is a reminder: that young people in Albania are not disconnected from their culture – they are eager to learn, ready to take action, and open to new ways of connecting with the past. But they need more resources, more support, and more space to become active participants in preserving and reimagining our intangible heritage.
The future of ICH does not lie only in museums and archives – but in schools, families, communities, and digital spaces where young people can engage with this heritage and carry it forward.
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