European Young Leaders (#EYL40)

Erenik is an award-winning Albanian film director and screenwriter based in Tirana. His films showcase the inner struggles of characters and highlight the comic, tragic or grotesque aspects of society. His latest short film, “The Van”, was in the running for the Short Film Palme d’Or at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival and shortlisted in the Live Action Short Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards. His earlier short films include “Bon Appetit”, “Alphonso” and “Seed Money”. Erenik’s works have featured in several internationally renowned film festivals, including the Melbourne International Film Festival, the Sarajevo Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Brussels Short Film Festival. He has also participated in the Sarajevo Talent Campus programme at the Sarajevo Film Festival as a screenwriter.

Fjoralba Caka is the former Albanian minister for justice covering European integration and anti-corruption policies. Having started her career as an academic teaching EU Law, she has maintained an ongoing cooperation with civil society organisations. She also served as a lawyer on issues related to strategic litigation and offered legal aid for people in need and for marginalised communities. In addition, she has led projects focusing on youth and national anti-corruption campaigns, including ‘Fighting Corruption in the Higher Education System’ and ‘Bookworm Project – outdoors mini-library’.

Since 2021, Megi Fino has been Albania’s Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. She is at the forefront of advancing her country’s European Union membership process as a negotiator for the acquis Chapter 31. Fino has been engaged at the UN and regional bodies to promote support for Ukraine and regional cooperation. She was previously an Integrity Consultant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) focused on local governance reform and worked as a regulatory expert at Vodafone Albania. A lawyer by training, she includes Chinese among her many languages.

Bora Muzhaqi is an Albanian politician and Member of Parliament, currently serving as Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Commission for Europe and Foreign Affairs. She previously served as Albania’s Minister of State for Youth and Children, where she led the country’s first National Youth Strategy focused on expanding opportunities for young people, strengthening youth employment and increasing youth participation in decision-making. Bora began her career in the private sector before joining the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, where she worked with public authorities to improve the business environment and support startup development. She later joined the Socialist Party of Albania and has since focused on policies advancing youth inclusion, governance reform and international cooperation.

Ermal Peçi is an Albanian journalist and television presenter, who hosts a weekend show on the public broadcaster, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH). His work has largely focused on sharing personal and professional conversations with public figures in Albania, combined with trending topics of the day. Prior to joining the ABC family and hosting ABC News Albania’s daily show “ABC e pasdites” (“Afternoon ABC”), Peçi hosted primetime, daily and Saturday programmes on major television networks in Tirana. He has hosted the “Trokit” (“Tap”) and “Një kat më lart” (“One Floor Above”) shows, as well as the popular “Euro Beat” prime time programme that was entirely dedicated to the Eurovision Song Contest and sharing experiences of the Europe-wide music festival. Famed for his energetic presence on the screen, he was the presenter on the popular “Heart Attack” reality show and a celebrity contestant on the “Dance with me Albania” programme. Peçi has also participated in hosting or promoting other music and cultural events throughout Albania, reaching a diverse broadcast and social media audience.