The ICMG President Mr. Davide Tizzano and the Secretary General Mr. Iakovos Filippousis paid an official visit to Tirana invited by the President of the Olympic Committee of Albania, Mr. Fidel Ylli in order to participate in the “National Sports Congress”, organized by the Ministry of Education and Sports. The main topic of the conference, which was held under the auspices of the Prime Minister Mr. Edi Rama, was the achievements and the challenges for the future of sports in Albania.

President Tizzano addressed the Conference during the opening ceremony and referred to the social contribution of sports, the improvement of the way of living of the youth and the overall dimension of the development of sports in the country. General Secretary Filippousis analyzed the institutional support for the “top athletes”, as well as the “legacy” of organizing multisport international events in the Mediterranean countries.

During the visit, Mr. Tizzano and Mr. Filippousis met the Minister of Education and Sports of Albania Ms. Evis Kushi, the Minister of Youth Ms. Bora Muzhaqi and the Mayor of Tirana Mr. Erion Veliaj, in the presence of the President of the Albanian Olympic Committee Mr. Fidel Ylli and the Secretary General Mr. Gerti Shima.

They also visited the newly built premises of the Olympic Committee and the Tirana Olympic Park, which houses all the country’s sports federations. During the meeting, the ICMG’s excellent relationship with the Albanian Olympic Committee was reaffirmed and it was discussed the development of sports in the country, for top athletes but also for school and sports clubs in the last two years. During this period, the Olympic Committee of the country, in collaboration with the political authorities of sports and the international federations, implements standard programs for the development and dissemination of all sports.

Finally, the closer and more frequent cooperation of the two sides for the greater development of sports in the country and the consolidation of the principles and values ​​of the Mediterranean Games were also discussed.

Τhe Albanian Olympic Committee referred alslo on the possibility of organizing in the country an ICMG event, a suggestion that has the full support of the President and the Secretary General of the International Committee of Mediterranean Games.

It was the first time that the leadership of the International Mediterranean Games Committee visited Albania.