National Youth Day in Albania
National Youth Day in Albania is observed annually on December 8th. It is a holiday that commemorates the student protests against the savage dictatorship of Enver Hoxha in the early 1990s. Today, this holiday is designed to honor all Albanian youths across the country. It is also a day to support students who excel in school and to help them decide on their future professions.
Albania (National holiday)Other activities observed on this day include youth-oriented social media campaigns, workshops, seminars, community service gatherings, and official ceremonies that recognize youth leaders and inspirational figures. Of course, concerts, parties, cultural performances, and other events are likely to take place on this holiday as well.
The History of National Youth Day in Albania
After the Iron Curtain fell across Eastern Europe after World War II, Albania instituted a Marxist Communist government. Although it was not a part of the Soviet Union, it still used its communist regime to institute a high level of control over the private sector, and it essentially became one of the most economically successful communist regimes.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the eventual downfall of the Soviet Union, Albanian rule became increasingly unstable. The country was due for a regime change, something that would happen after the student protests of 1990.
At that time, students from Enver Hoxha University (now known as the University of Tirana) attended a march that demanded political reform. This march began on December 8, 1990, and over the three days that followed, the protests swelled to well over 3,000 students.
The student protests would become known as the December Movement, and they forced the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Labour in Albania to support political pluralism. This happened on December 11, 1990. The following day, the Democratic Party of Albania was established. In 2009, the Albanian Parliament declared December 8 of every year as National Youth Day.
Observing National Youth Day in Albania
National Youth Day in Albania is observed with special ceremonies to give awards to students, youth leaders, and other remarkable young people. It is also a day for social media campaigns, seminars, community service functions, and workshops. On social media, the hashtag #NationalYouthDayAlbania can be used to spread the news about this holiday across the World Wide Web.
Albania (National holiday)
