As the Western Balkans Fund (WBF) is ushering in its seventh year of work as an all-inclusive regionally owned initiative, Albanian Daily News invited its first appointed Executive Director Gjergj Murra, elected by the WBF Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs to share his opinion on the achievements and perspectives of this Initiative, which became operational on October 1, 2017, taking also into consideration the current regional political situation.    
“You ask if we have served our purpose. Of course not! The need is only increasing. People have realised that cooperation in the region not only is possible, but is highly beneficial for all and we see that year after year, the interest only continues to grow,” said Murra in an exclusive interview with ADN.   
Murra expressed the high appreciation of WBF to all partners, which have supported the overall institutional strengthening of the Western Balkans Fund. 
Asked about the challenge of a revival of nationalism in the region, he believed that nationalism is fueled by ignorance and not knowing each other. “Thankfully, all the progress that has been achieved in the Region cannot be undone anymore and I don’t believe there is a specific threat of peace and security in the Region. The ship has already sailed and there will not be any turn back. However, it is up to us to decide the speed and depth of this cooperation.” 
In a comment on the Tirana Summit of the Berlin Process to be held in October this year, Murra said that it is hugely important and they look forward to being involved as much as possible in this initiative.  “In the framework of this summit, we see a role to set up an example, to become role-models and try to replicate the “WBF experience” as much and as more possible.”  
Murra praised the full support of WB governments since day one to WBF which has become a wonderful example of the results that cooperation yields. “For the Western Balkans Fund, the regional ownership is the most important element. Our growth, the cooperation set with numerous new partners and new funds pumped to WBF have been very much welcomed, but all the time, we have been careful to retain this regional identity we are so much proud about,” said the Executive Director of the Western Balkans Fund, Gjergj Murra in the following interview: 
Albanian Daily News: Western Balkans Fund, an all-inclusive and regionally owned initiative, became operational on October 1, 2017, after the conclusion of the ratification procedures by all parliaments of its constitutive members.  WBF has worked on promoting cooperation and the common values between citizens, civil society and people to people contacts, by providing funding for small and medium projects, in different key areas. Six years have passed since its foundation and given that you are the First appointed WBF Executive Director, elected by the WBF Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and its Secretariat is in Tirana and it is composed of experts coming from all over WB Region. Has the Fund delivered fulfilling its set targets, and how has the regional political situation influenced its performance? 
WBF’s Director Gjergj Murra: Dear Mr. Mlloja, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak about what was the first Regional Initiative of this kind and in regard, a truly groundbreaking initiative. The Western Balkans Fund marked at the time another milestone, because the agreement to set up our organisation was approved in all the six Parliaments of the Western Balkans Region Contracting Parties and by doing so, it became the first document in which Serbia and Kosovo agreed to recognise each other as equal partners. 
During those six years, it has been for me impressive to witness how much the original idea to set up a hub funding reconciliation and people to people links has outgrown even the best expectative. To give you an example, when we began, we launched our First Call for Proposals, with a budget of 240,000 Euros, funding in total 18 Regional Projects, three per each Contracting Party. While since last year, we have launched four Call for Proposals, with more than a hundred projects supported with Regional Grants. You ask if we have served our purpose. Of course not! The need is only increasing. People have realised that cooperation in the region not only is possible, but is highly beneficial for all and we see that year after year, the interest only continues to grow. 
About the second part of the question. From outside, it can look difficult to run an organisation that has been created and it is run, through the Council of High Officials, by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Region. But, in truth, political situations have never influenced our decision-making or grown. In that regard, I want to thank publicly our dead board members, who have in their heart the best interest of our Fund and that never let the situations of the day to influence what we know to the better. 
- As a follow up Mr. Murra the first half of 2003 has been full of activities organized by the Fund in cooperation with its many local, regional and EU partners. Just to mention one-the Unstoppable International Conference held in February this year was an impressive event. I will let you please speak more in detail on this event and in general about the other activities. 
- Part of our growth is also this process of becoming much more than a grant-giving organization. We are already a well-established hub funding best regional ideas, but now we aim to become a serious voice backing progress all-over our beautiful Region. In that regard, the advocacy element is key to achieving this status. Last February, Unstoppable Conference gathered in Tirana more than 150 distinguished guests for four days. The talks were divided in seven key panels and many other side events dedicated to Women and Leadership. We are proud to have organized the biggest regional Conference of 2023 focusing on such an important target as gender equality, empowerment and leadership. 
Before that, in 2022, we organized another large Conference dedicated to the fight against hate speech and discrimination. Renowned world-leaders gathered in Tirana, enabling a set of recommendations that were submitted to all our governments. We have also organized the WB Civil Society Summit and a few other large events organized all in cooperation with two precious partners, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Visegrad Fund. Thankfully, as we are growing, you will get the opportunity to meet us more and more in similar advocacy events. 
- Please, what could you share with us on your endeavor to strengthen the network of professionals from WB6, V4 region, Japan, Switzerland and the EU countries? 
- We are working closely with all the partners you mentioned. Thanks to the trust and concrete results obtained in the first four years of our work, the European Union jumped on-board and we forged a strong partnership in the framework of a Joint Action supporting financially the Fourth and Fifth Call for Proposals. I am happy to share that thanks to the assessed impact, this cooperation will European Union will continue for at least the Sixth and Seventh Call for Proposals. 
Thanks to the backing of another precious partner, the Government of Switzerland, we have launched a secondary grant-giving scheme, the WBF Move Grants. Launched this year, in March, Move Grants focus on increasing regional mobility between organizations and individuals and is already proving a hugely successful scheme. Besides that, the Swiss Government is a key ally providing support to the overall institutional strengthening of the Western Balkans Fund. 
We work closely with Japan, who is the key supporter of our regional advocacy events. And of course, the International Visegrad Fund (IFV). Our Fund was designed with the purpose of reflecting the long and hugely successful role IVF has played in the V4 countries. They provided support since day one and we are very grateful for all of that. It is a proud moment, when we see now that we can be equal partners with such a big organization like them. But, not only IVF, the governments of Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, through their Embassies in Tirana and in the Region, have provided huge support all the time for our Fund.       
Those dynamics, serve exactly the purpose you mention. They help enable joint network between professionals living in the Western Balkans Region and counterparts in the EU or other countries, making an additional contribution to our key mission of forging partnerships and people to people links within our Region. 
- In addition, how much has the projects of the WBF helped people-to-people exchanges, particularly among youth, and have you made any polls to assess how the youth consider conflicts between some countries, especially the nationalist and ethnicity sentiments which, unfortunately, are alive having a dangerous potential of threatening peace and security in the region and beyond? On the other hand, do youth see ‘internationals’ as factors that might settle the ongoing disputes? 
- I will give you an example. A few weeks ago, I was invited to attend a Conference in Skopje, organised by the Association of North Macedonian Wines. Back in 2018, they approached us with an idea to create e regional partnership between wine producers. Evaluating the potential of the project, we awarded them a grant and thanks to the grant, for the first time ever, wine-producers in the Region were able to meet and set-up a vision. Fast-forward, a few weeks ago, I was invited as a guest of honour to have a speech in the event that marked the creation of “Balkans Wine Association”, an organism that now encompasses hundreds of wine-makers and producers from all around the Region. Their next aim is to create a “made-in Western Balkans” label and multiply the export of our wines in the world. From the small idea presented to the WBF, they now have prestigious new partners, including the European Bank for Development and Reconstruction, GIZ, European Union, etc. This is exactly the kind of impact that our grants have. 
Regarding what you ask, I honestly believe that nationalism is fueled by ignorance and not knowing each other. You asked previously about our multiethnic and diverse staff. At our Secretariat, people from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro work side-by-side. We have never, ever had a problem related to the nationality of a team member. This hasn’t been possible because of a bubble or some kind of magic we live in, but because we know each other and by knowing the mindsets, food, customs, jokes and problems of each Contracting Party, we discover how much similar we are.   
Thankfully, all the progress that has been achieved in the Region cannot be undone anymore and I don’t believe there is a specific threat of peace and security in the Region. The ship has already sailed and there will not be any turn back. However, it is up to us to decide the speed and depth of this cooperation. The Western Balkans will become one day part of the European Union and remove every border or restriction we might still have in the Region. But, it is up to us to decide with what speed will travel. Maybe we will have the standards we deserve and join in 5 years. Maybe in 10 or 15 years. It is up to us. Having lived half of my life in another era when regional cooperation was unthinkable, I sincerely think we should all aim to move forward as fast as possible, as we do not have the luxury to leave another generation outside. 
- Mr. Director, the Berlin Process has been revitalized and as it is announced there will be a summit in Tirana in October this year. Given that your connections with that initiative have been close and if I am not mistaken some projects have been complimentary, what could you tell us on its importance regarding the perspectives of its contribution with its projects to bring the WB countries closer to the EU? 
- It is hugely important and we look forward to being involved as much as possible in this initiative. Last year we were in Berlin, in the German Bundestag, during the Berlin Process 2022. Since that, we have been present or with the WB-EU Summit of Tirana, Budapest Balkans Forum, Prespa Dialogue Forum or other hugely important regional initiatives. In the framework of this summit, we see a role to set up an example, to become role-models and try to replicate the “WBF experience” as much and as more possible.  
Eventually, the final integration in the European Union will be the joint sum of more and more people moving freely and cooperating in large scale. This is exactly what we have been doing for six year and look forward to benefit from the new impulse provided by the Berlin Process, to further enhance cooperation and people to people links in the Western Balkans. 
  - To conclude, Mr. Director, how much are the regional governments and their relevant institutions keen on cooperation with WBF regarding the fulfillment of its mission, which in fact aims at improving the prosperity of the people of the countries they govern? 
- We have had the full support of our governments since day one and in this regard, WBF has become a wonderful example of the results that cooperation yields. For the Western Balkans Fund, the regional ownership is the most important element. Our growth, the cooperation set with numerous new partners and new funds pumped to WBF have been very much welcomed, but all the time, we have been careful to retain this regional identity we are so much proud about. Our founding members, over the years have tripled their contributions to the WBF, making much easier to retain for us the regional ownership because in simple words, we are just independent. This allows us to enter new partnership agreements as equal partners, providing and choosing only the very best for the Western Balkans Region. I know that from outside it can look differently, but truly, whenever we have a meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials, it is only about the joint stakes and future growth of our Fund. Maybe, it is some magic we have in our Secretariat, but despite differences our parties have time after time, we have never experienced such thing. 
Thank you for this interview and I look forward to future cooperation!