Greece, North Macedonia and Albania join forces for Prespa Lake’s UNESCO candidacy

Prespa Lake is seeking inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List through a joint candidacy by Greece, North Macedonia and Albania.

The initiative was first launched by Greece in 2014, when Prespa was included on UNESCO’s tentative list. Athens is now seeking to continue the process in cooperation with the two neighboring countries.

The next step will be a meeting of the culture ministers of the three countries, which will take place next week in the Greek municipality of Prespa. The European Union ambassador to Skopje, Mihalis Rokas, is also expected to attend.

The ministers will discuss the steps that need to be taken to prepare the joint candidacy. The European Union has announced that it will provide political support, as well as funding for the initial studies.

The aim of this initiative is to strengthen the protection and promotion of the natural and cultural values of the Prespa region. At the same time, it is expected to create opportunities for sustainable development, improve tourism and offer new prospects for local communities.

If the process is successfully completed, Prespa could become another model of cross-border cooperation among the three neighboring countries./TV21