Today has officially started the new school year 2020-2021. The students returned to the benches after a longer break than usual, as from March the teaching took place online. Unlike any other time, the students of Tirana schools found in the banks from a letter written by the mayor Erjon Veliaj.

Full letter:

Hello dear students!

I know you could hardly wait for school to start. Returning to class, meeting friends and acquaintances is a moment that I, at your age, could not wait for. I remember the warm feeling that pervades your heart as soon as you start something new, as if it were an adventure, full of energy to do even better, even more, than last year.

The time we are living with the pandemic is by no means easy and this year, the first day of school will be much different from other times. Some of you will attend online classes, while the rest will attend classes, with masks and disinfectants, keeping your distance from each other.

For your return to schools, we have rolled up our sleeves for several weeks to make sure the entire educational infrastructure is ready and disinfected. I am aware that distance learning has presented many challenges for you and your family, but we in Tirana know how to get together even in the most difficult times. Therefore, I have great confidence in you, your teachers and your families, that together we will turn this challenge into an extraordinary life experience. Both earthquakes and pandemics taught us that in life we â??â??can lose everything but what we have in mind, knowledge. This explains why for the Municipality of Tirana new schools are a daily mission because they are made for your future. In addition to the 17 new schools that are being built in Tirana, together with the Government, we are rebuilding 11 other schools, which were damaged by the earthquake.

Por, këtë mision nuk mund ta çojmë të vetëm përpara, pa ju, aleatët e mi më të mirë, që më jepni kurajë dhe energji për transformimin e qytetit tonë! Për këtë, ju falenderoj nga zemra! Kjo është arsyeja pse çdo ditë, një orë nga koha ime, e ndaj me të rinj të zgjuar dhe ambiciozë, ku njihem me idetë dhe planet tuaja fantastike dhe diskutojmë sesi mund t’i realizojmë ato bashkërisht. Prandaj, jam kaq entuziast që piramida po shndërrohet shpejt në një “katedrale të edukimit”, ku të rinjtë e Tiranës do të marrin njohuri cilësore në mësimin e teknologjisë dhe gjuhës së kodimit.

Shumë punë na presin! Por, hap pas hapi, sfidë pas sfide, sukses pas suksesi, së bashku po ndërtojmë qytetin që ju ëndërroni, sepse do të jeni ju ata që do ta rishkruani atë që është e pamundur sot, në atë që do të jetë e mundur nesër.

Believe in yourself, as your family and I believe in you.

Always your biggest fan,

Erion VELIAJ