Organized in the framework of Project “Qëndro” by 21-ist century skills laboratory ICTSlab and UNICEF Albania, Nation Edition of Ponder took place in Tirana on April 27-29.

This event is supported by Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of State for Youth and Children, Ministry of Finance and Economy, The National Agency for Employment and Skills and Italian Embassy.

Ponder is a social-youth program aiming to develop critical thinking and a critical approach towards daily information on social and traditional media.

The National Edition, with the participations of 60 young people, is the fifth event organized by Ponder where adolescents and youth learn about diversity, plagiarism, introduction to information and image interpretation.

11 mentors from media, publishing and civil society supported Ponder youth during the tree day workshop: Fation Binjaku, Adrian Zalla, Xheni Hatillari, Ana Shahini, Antonio Demiri, Elda Gostivari, Matias Ndini, Manjola Hasa, Stiven Shala, Diogjen Kolici and Anri Bala.

Ponder curriculum consists of four modules applied in the first two days: Critical media literacy, Media Types, Photography Reading, and Empowering through critical media literacy.

The last module comes in form of an interactive discussion between mentors, participants, and staff members at the end of the second day.

These modules prepare young people for their final work, an essay to be reviewed by Ponder jury with 5 members consisting of mentors and co-founder of ICTSlab Mr. Kushtrim Shala.

On the last day of the National Edition of Ponder, the jury gathered to give the final verdict. The best works challenged for the prizes of this edition with the winners getting rewarded with 8 paid internships at local and national media.

During the closing ceremony of three intensive days, UNICEF Albania and ICTSlab provided all participants with a certificate closely followed by Mr. Shala.

The mission of Ponder program is to instill critical thinking skills in teenagers training them with a curriculum which emphasizes the importance and role of media in our culture and society.

Developing a critical approach towards information, identifying and analyzing different points of view, judging the authenticity, value and source of information are skills that young people practice throughout the Ponder program.

The Winners of National Edition of Ponder

  • Grejsi Cani “No one taught me that…”
  • Enia Hoxha “Early marriages in Albania”
  • Kleis Brahimi “Covid-19 and its consequences in Albania”
  • Anja Tahirllari “Gender stereotypes in schools and the limitations they have on students”
  • Kristi Bushi “Bullying among today’s teenagers. What are the causes, consequences and how do we address it?”
  • Ergi Kelo “Emigration from Albania and why we should not leave.”
  • Izelda Bakiasi “Mental health and social networks”
  • Helena Kace “Albania, the land of opportunities for young people in the field of IT and technology”