On 21 and 22 of March 2013 AER organised together with the region of Lezhe from Albania the “Lezhe Days in Brussels” with the aim of promoting the region among Brussels representatives and of finding good partners and contacts to get assistance in setting up a regional development agency in Lezhe.

For this purpose, the chairman of Lezhe regional council Pashk Gjoni, together with his team, presented the economic and touristic potential of the region of Lezhe and invited afterwards all participants to a cocktail reception offering traditional Albanian food from Lezhe region. Guest of honours included H.E. Mimoza Halimi, Ambassador of Albania to the European Union and H.E.Mr. Ilir Tepelena, Ambassador of Albania to Belgium as well as other representatives from European regions, the European Commission and UNDP. The second day focused on bilateral meetings with representatives from the regions of Istria (HR) and Catalunya (E) discussing concrete cooperation possibilities and exchanging information on how to best set up the regional development agency. As a result, further visits and exchanges between those regions and the region of Lezhe are planned.