Albania continues to make important progress in implementing preventive approaches against violent extremism, coordinating comprehensive strategies and concrete actions at both central and local levels.

A major development in this direction is the adoption of the Council of Ministers’ Decision No. 678, dated 30.10.2024, “On the Functioning of Local Public Safety Councils” (LPSCs), which granted these mechanisms permanent status in all municipalities. Tasked with identifying, referring, and supporting individuals at risk of radicalization, the LPSCs are considered a key pillar of the coordinated referral system, enabling locally driven and multisectoral responses aligned with community needs. This normative advancement also marked the transition from the first phase of the LPSC Empowerment Program, supported by Hedayah through the STRIVE Global II program, funded by the European Union and implemented in cooperation with the Albanian National CVE Coordination Center. The project focused on five municipalities – Elbasan, Librazhd, Cërrik, Pogradec, and Korçë – aiming to revitalize the functionality of LPSCs by developing a Case Management and Referral Methodology and delivering continuous training to 225 local actors, including 77 permanent council members. This process concluded with a performance assessment published in July 2025.

Building on this intervention philosophy, the Second Phase of the program now includes four additional municipalities – Mat, Kukës, Lezha, and Vlora – which face distinct challenges and dynamics due to socio-economic factors, migration, and specific cases related to radicalization risks. This phase aims to provide structured support to strengthen the respective LPSCs, including training for members, local officials, and other public safety contributors. The CVE Center will continue to support this phase to ensure alignment with national priorities. This event marks the launch of public activities under this phase, fostering networking among key local actors and facilitating collaboration toward good practices on the ground.