E fundit!

22:51 TODAY

Businessman Artur Shehu breaks his silence: I am a long-time land owner in Zvërnec, I don't know the investors at all

Albanian businessman Artur Shehu spoke on the Opinion show...

“ARKA”, A PIECE OF HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF SHKODRA

2025-03-14 13:12:00, Qyteti im CNA

It was 2015, when “Arka” began its function in Shkodra. Conceived as a youth center, from its name it resembled “Noah’s Ark”, a shelter that the northern capital was missing. Its founder, Marjan Lukani, tells CNA how the creation of “Arka” began

"It is the 10th anniversary of the creation of the 'Arka' youth center. In the fall we want to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its creation. The 'Arka' center was born as an idea and as a need that the territory had for the services that this youth center offers. Even today, 10 years later, I still have the idea that the territory needs, not only for one 'Arka', but for at least 5 'Arkas' distributed in Shkodra. It was born as a concept and space dedicated to young people, starting with services ranging from their employment, professional training, the creative part, art or the promotion of their business initiatives. Over time, we saw that 'Arka' is not just for young people. We expanded to include children to the elderly. This gives us great pleasure and shows that we have succeeded and this is from the desire that we had to offer to the citizens of Shkodra. Then in 2018 we helped the Municipality of Shkodra to create another youth center, which is the 'Atelie' youth center. We did all the work and the municipality only applied with its name. In fact, I regret it because the municipality at that time had no vision, it only made wrong copies of the beautiful things it had in the territory. The Ark continues, it has grown more and more and has taken on a dimension that even we did not expect when it was first created. It has recognition not only in Shkodra but also nationwide, everywhere in Albania and we have also created respect in international institutions. The Ark because it is a symbol that is found in all symbols of monotheistic beliefs and we wanted a name that is inclusive. It is Noah's Ark that is found in all beliefs and had a mission that at the moment God created it, was inclusiveness. So an inclusiveness without any distinction, the inclusiveness of animals that on earth in their daily lives were enemies with each other but by entering the ark they learned to coexist with each other. After the storm of the world happened, they came out of that ark and overpopulated the world once again. So it is a beautiful symbol and when people hear the name Ark they remember how it is related to the bookcases that we have in the library but in fact it is not like that”

"Arka" is not just a business, but a structure that essentially has spaces dedicated to young people, from consultancy, connection to services, professional courses to their employment.

“ARKA”, A PIECE OF HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF SHKODRA

"The structure of the Arka center has several spaces, which is the bar area where young people, in addition to having a place to communicate, are also the network with which we meet young people and then offer them the services we have. It is the part of the hostel that serves young people who come from outside Shkodra. It is the part of the different halls that we have, starting from the training hall, which are two of them. There is the library together with a training hall that we realize, then there are also the two courtyards of the Arka that are also at the service of young people. The beautiful thing is that we are thinking of re-contacting some of them because there are many young people who have frequented the Arka center. At that time they were young and now they are adults who have made their way in life and have moved forward a lot. A good part of them have very prestigious professions in society but also good tasks in terms of policymaking and the management of our country"

Inclusion remains the focus of the administration. And in this line, the Ark has had several people with different abilities on its staff, and dozens of others have been assisted. For years now, this corner has become the favorite of ambassadors, writers, journalists, publicists such as Adi Krasta, Adrian Civic, Përparim Kambo, etc., who choose "Arka" to hold their promotions and meetings in Shkodra.

"Yes, in addition to including them in our center, we also have very good relations with businesses in the territory of the Shkodra municipality. We take and employ these young people with different abilities in different businesses. We have two programs that are of particular importance to us, which is professional training based on the inclinations that a young person has and the other part is the job exchange. The second means that we make an agreement with the business where we make a one-year contract and we pay the salary of the young person who goes to that business to gain experience. So it is only about disadvantaged young people, but there may also be young people who come from very difficult socio-economic situations. The agreement with the business is that we pay 6 months in salary and 6 months by the business itself. They are different, but the ones that have been effective are the courses that help to enter the labor market directly. We are talking about cooking courses, the barman part, electricians, plumbers or for girls the hairdressing and aesthetics part. We have also done other courses for factories regarding tailoring. The other part that we continue to do is the Leadership Academy and the Start Up Academy. The latter is related to young people who want to create a business. Generally, we manage to find some funds so that these young people who attend the Start Up Academy can finance their business idea, but even for those whose business is not financed, this academy is worth it because it serves them to have the basics and the right knowledge on how to do a business. Many times they may have an idea to do a business, but when you sit down to do some calculations, you realize that it was a very beautiful dream but maybe it should be put aside because it is not the right moment and this is a good help for young people because it helps them not to take adventures without being sure. Even at the Leadership Academy, young people have participated in conversations with well-known personalities such as Adrian Civici, Adi Krasta, Përparim Kabo, ambassadors, ministers, deputy ministers, mayors, etc. who have come and talked with our young people about various community policy issues.

"Arka" started its cultural mission where young people were free to perform every night. For the first time, the winners of the last festival at RTSH Beatriçe Gjergji and Kolë Laca performed at the Arka center in 2018, while there have also been several other cultural activities such as the Shkodra Wedding or many exhibitions and book promotions. For which Marjani says that he feels proud that the initiatives of his staff are today bearing fruit at home and abroad.

"Beatrice Gjergji and Kolë Laca are a very beautiful discovery that Arka has made in collaboration with other actors in the territory. It was the film festival 'Ekrani i Artit' organized by Adrian Paci and it was he who discovered them, to be honest, and it was Adrian who said can they sing in the courtyard of Arka. That's how it happened and it was something very beautiful that two young people from Shkodër who were active in Italy came and if we can say for the first time they held their concert in Shkodër. They are a very professional and very charming duo and they got the credit that they deserved. I hope that the Albanian community gives them back what they deserve. Winning the festival was a credit entirely theirs. To move on to music in general, which is something basic for the Arka center. For the first time we started in 2016 and we called the activity Open Mic where we offered young people an opportunity to come with their instruments and sing up to two songs. In fact, it was interesting, the young people who came were really numerous and they tried themselves by singing in public. Their mentor was a doctor by profession but also a good singer, Silvan Frangaj who guided all these young people. We are very proud today because most of those young people who sing in Shkodra's bars or in other cultural activities in Shkodra have come out of this activity that we have done. Then there was 'Dasma Shkodrane', an activity that makes us very proud. It started as an idea of ??Professor Lorenc Radovani, a very good friend of ours, who wanted to bring to the Shkodra public the traditional music that we once had at 'Dasma Shkodrane'. Professor Radovani called all the young people who were also part of our center and proposed this initiative that was immediately embraced. There were 26 young people who performed at the 'Dasma Shkodrane' that started at Arka, continued at the 'Oso Kuka' museum, in Korça, Tirana and other places. We continued with many other artistic activities and large concerts such as a concert with musicians from all over the Balkans.”

“ARKA”, A PIECE OF HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF SHKODRA

And lately, the ark is attracting the attention of tourists. Designed as a simple house with a green courtyard, where old, skillfully crafted wooden objects occupy the largest space in this bar. Foreigners find hospitality, service, a hostel, but above all, a piece of home.

"Tourists find a home here at Arka. The structure of our center itself is not for luxury tourism, but it is a tourist place that feels like their home. The structure of Arka, an old Shkodra house, the courtyard of the old Shkodra house, the staff that serves give this comfort to tourists that they feel like they are at home. Even the people who frequent Arka on a daily basis are like a family. This makes even foreigners who come here feel very good because they find an environment where everyone is calm and happy with each other in the way they stay and enjoy their stay here. This normally gives tourists great peace and comfort, which they appreciate very much."

At the cash register today, after 10 years, you can find everything, starting from the wonderful view, quality service, polite young people, a reading corner, a hostel to stay in, but above all, you find a piece of home where comfort is incomparable.../ CNA